Robert Orville Anderson

Robert Orville Anderson
Robert Orville Anderson
Born	Template:Birth date; Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	December 2, 2007 (aged 90); Roswell, New Mexico, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, art collector, philanthropist
Known for	Founder of Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO)

Robert Orville Anderson (April 12, 1917 – December 2, 2007) was a prominent American entrepreneur, avid art collector, and philanthropist, best known for establishing the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO). He contributed significantly to cultural institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Harper's Magazine. Anderson passed away at his residence in Roswell, New Mexico on December 2, 2007.

During Anderson’s tenure, ARCO rose to become the sixth-largest oil corporation in the United States by the time he retired in 1986. Additionally, he was recognized as the nation's largest private landowner, possessing ranches and properties spanning approximately across Texas and New Mexico, alongside a personal net worth estimated at $200 million.

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Chicago on April 13, 1917, to Swedish immigrant parents Hugo A. Anderson and Hilda Nelson. His upbringing was closely connected to the oil sector; his father was an innovative banker who provided financial backing for oil enterprises. Anderson attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools before earning a degree in economics from the University of Chicago in 1939.

Initially drawn to philosophy, Anderson spent summers working on pipelines in Texas and began his professional journey at American Mineral Spirits Company, a subsidiary of Pure Oil. In 1941, supported by his father, he and his brothers purchased a refinery in New Mexico, marking the beginning of his ventures within the oil industry.

Career

By 1950, Anderson had acquired several refineries, developed a pipeline infrastructure, and established himself as a notable wildcatter. His breakthrough came in 1957 with a significant oil discovery at the Empire-Abo field in New Mexico, elevating him into the ranks of leading independent oil producers.

In 1963, Anderson merged his enterprise Hondo with Philadelphia-based Atlantic Refining Company. As chairman and CEO of Atlantic from 1966, he facilitated a merger with Los Angeles-based Richfield Oil, resulting in the creation of Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), which was headquartered in New York City.

In 1967, Anderson endorsed ARCO Alaska personnel’s recommendations that led to uncovering the Prudhoe Bay oil field on Alaska’s North Slope—the largest oil reservoir discovered in North America. This field has yielded billions of barrels and currently supplies about one-fifth of U.S. domestic oil output. Building on this achievement, Anderson merged ARCO with Sinclair Oil, forming the seventh-largest oil company in the country.

Anderson directed ARCO’s headquarters relocation from New York City to Los Angeles in 1972, inaugurating Atlantic Richfield Plaza on Flower Street. The complex featured twin towers that remained Los Angeles’ tallest structures for many years.

A close associate of former Bauhaus Master Herbert Bayer, Anderson nurtured a deep interest in contemporary art and integrated his extensive collection into ARCO’s corporate ethos. By the time of ARCO’s move to Los Angeles, its Corporate Art Collection had grown beyond 3,000 works encompassing paintings, sculptures, and photographs. Under Bayer’s guidance, this collection expanded to over 15,000 pieces displayed throughout ARCO offices nationwide and became one of the earliest major corporate art collections managed through computerized inventory systems.

Anderson described ARCO’s engagement with modern art as a deliberate strategy: "I encourage my people to look at all issues from every possible angle... contemporary art inspires you to think outside the box and use your imagination," which he credited as a factor contributing to ARCO’s achievements.

He also spearheaded a consortium of seven companies responsible for developing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System in 1974.

From 1966 until 1982, through strategic acquisitions and diversification efforts, Anderson expanded ARCO's annual revenues from $1 billion to over $20 billion. Confronted with declining crude prices and hostile takeover attempts in 1985, he initiated comprehensive corporate restructuring measures.

Following his compulsory retirement from ARCO in 1986, Anderson established Hondo Oil & Gas Company based in Roswell, New Mexico, where he served as chairman and CEO until February 1994.

Philanthropy

Anderson played a crucial role in rescuing two ailing periodicals, The Observer and Harper's Magazine. In 1977, he convinced ARCO's board to acquire the Observer, which was on the brink of bankruptcy, describing the investment as "a modest bet on the survival of England." Later, in 1980, ARCO committed $1.5 million to help preserve Harper's, an amount that was matched by the MacArthur Foundation.

During Anderson's leadership, ARCO became a prominent contributor to civic and charitable causes in Los Angeles, donating $3 million for the construction of a new facility at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This building, inaugurated in 1986, was named in his honor and is currently known as the Art of the Americas Building.

Anderson served as chairman of the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, promoting conversations among corporate leaders about international challenges. He was instrumental in establishing several organizations, including the Worldwatch Institute based in Washington, the International Institute for Environment and Development located in London, and the John Muir Institute of the Environment at Davis, California. Additionally, he was an early backer of the Agri-Energy Roundtable (AER), a United Nations-recognized forum addressing agricultural and energy matters, for which he received AER's "Food Security Man of the Year" Award in 1983.

Personal life

Anderson passed away on December 2, 2007, in Roswell, New Mexico. His son, Phelps Anderson, is both an entrepreneur and a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives.

Legacy and honors

Lifetime trustee positions at both the California Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago
1974: The Robert O. Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico was named to honor him
1980: Honored with the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement
1986: The newly constructed building at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, now called the Art of Americas Building, was dedicated to him
1986: Inducted into Junior Achievement's "U.S. Business Hall of Fame"

External links

Obituary: "Robert O. Anderson", The Times (UK), 10 December 2007