Brewster Jennings
Brewster Jennings | |
|---|---|
| File:Benjamin Brewster Jennings.png | |
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | October 2, 1968 (aged 70) Roosevelt Hospital, New York City |
| Education | St. Paul's School |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Spouse |
Kate deForest Prentice
(m. 1923) |
| Parent(s) | Oliver Gould Jennings Mary Dows Brewster |
Benjamin Brewster Jennings (June 9, 1898 – October 2, 1968) was a founding figure and president of the Socony-Vacuum corporation, which in 1955 was renamed the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony), later evolving into Mobil Oil, before its eventual merger with ExxonMobil.
Early life
Jennings was born in New York City to parents Oliver Gould Jennings and Mary Dows Brewster. He hailed from a lineage of influential Standard Oil associates, including his grandfathers Oliver Burr Jennings and financier Benjamin Brewster, both closely connected to John D. Rockefeller. His family’s commercial heritage also traced back to prosperous enterprises during the California Gold Rush era. Additionally, through his paternal grandmother, he was related to William Rockefeller Jr., a co-founder of Standard Oil.
His upbringing took place in Fairfield, Connecticut, at the Mailands estate—a French Renaissance-style residence that would later be integrated into Fairfield University as McAuliffe Hall. Jennings attended St. Paul's School and served as an ensign in the United States Navy during World War I, where he was awarded the Navy Cross for valor.
He graduated from Yale University in 1920, where he belonged to the secret society Scroll and Key. Remaining deeply involved with Yale post-graduation, he contributed as a member of the Yale Corporation Council and chaired the Yale Development Committee.
Career
Following his 1920 graduation from Yale, Jennings started his professional journey as a clerk within the marine department of Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony). Over time, he progressed through roles including purchasing agent, real estate department manager, and assistant to the company president. After Socony merged with Vacuum Oil in 1939 to create Socony-Vacuum, Jennings joined its board and took charge of transportation operations.
In 1942, he transitioned to government service as assistant director of tanker operations at the United States Maritime Commission and subsequently as assistant deputy administrator for tanker operations at the War Shipping Administration. His wartime efforts earned him a presidential certificate of merit and later, in 1952, the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award recognizing his World War II contributions.
After the war concluded, Jennings resumed leadership at Socony-Vacuum as president and chairman of the executive committee. When the firm rebranded to Socony Mobil in 1955 (eventually becoming Mobil Oil Corporation in 1966), he assumed the role of chairman of the board. Under his direction as CEO, the company experienced significant growth, tripling its worldwide crude oil production.
Jennings also held prominent positions within the American Petroleum Institute: serving as vice president responsible for transportation from 1947 to 1948 and treasurer between 1949 and 1950. Beyond the petroleum sector, he acted as trustee for both the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research and the Avalon Foundation. He stepped down as CEO of Socony Mobil in 1958.
Personal life
In 1923, Jennings wed Kate deForest Prentice. Together, they had three children:
- Mary Brewster Jennings (1924–1995), who became the wife of Paul Jerome Chase, a Yale law alumnus, in 1947.
- Kate deForest Jennings (1927–2002), who married Harry Havemeyer Webb in 1947.
- John Prentice Jennings (1929–2011), who united in marriage with Mary Ann Kelly from Nassau in 1955.
Jennings passed away in 1968 at Roosevelt Hospital located in New York City following a short illness. At the time of his death, he was 70 years old and lived in Glen Head, New York.