Charles B. Finch
Charles Baker Finch | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 15, 1996 (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, business executive |
| Years active | 1940s–1980s |
| Known for | President and CEO of Allegheny Power System (1971–1985) |
Charles Baker Finch (March 5, 1920 – July 15, 1996) was an American attorney and business executive who held the positions of President and CEO at Allegheny Power System between 1971 and 1985.
Early life and education
Finch was the second-born son of Henry Le Roy Finch and Mary Farquhar Baker, and the grandson of Stephen Baker, who once served as President of the Bank of the Manhattan Company. He had three siblings: Henry Leroy Finch Jr., Stephen Baker Finch, and John Finch.
Growing up in Manhattan, Finch attended the Buckley School followed by Phillips Academy, where he received the George Lauder Prize for Excellence in English History prior to graduating in 1937. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1941 and obtained his L.L.B. from Yale Law School in 1944, during which time he was the comment editor for the Yale Law Journal.
Career
Following law school graduation, Finch presented arguments before the United States Supreme Court on several occasions. He joined Allegheny Power System, eventually ascending to President and chief executive officer in 1971. Subsequently, he also assumed the role of Chairman of the Board, maintaining both CEO and Chairman responsibilities until Klaus Bergman took over as CEO in 1985. Finch remained as Chairman for a number of years thereafter.
Charitable work and politics
Finch contributed to various boards spanning foundations, academic institutions, and corporations, including service with the Josiah Macy, Jr Foundation and Cooper Union, where a laboratory is named in his honor. Between 1956 and 1959, he was president of the New York City Mission. Engaged politically, Finch was listed among the master list of Nixon political opponents. Interestingly, his first cousin once removed, Edward Ridley Finch Cox, married President Nixon’s daughter.
Background
In 1943, Finch wed Angela Havens from Hewlett, New York. Their elder son, Charles B. Finch, Jr., born in 1954, pursued brief campaigns for the United States Congress in 1984 as well as for New York's 15th congressional district in 1986. Their younger son, William Finch, born in 1956, is the grandfather of writer Charles Finch.