Rudolph A. Peterson

Rudolph Peterson
Born	Template:Birth date Svenljunga, Sweden
Died	December 2, 2003(2003-12-02) (aged 98)
Occupation(s)	Banking executive, United Nations official
Known for	President and CEO of Bank of America; Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme

Rudolph Arvid Peterson (December 6, 1904 – December 2, 2003) was a prominent American banking executive who held the positions of President and CEO at Bank of America and later served as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.

Background

Peterson was born in Svenljunga, Sweden, and was adopted by his maternal uncle and aunt who relocated to the United States in 1905. The family initially resided in Youngstown, Ohio, before moving to Los Angeles and subsequently settling in Hilmar, California, a community known for its Swedish immigrant farming population. He completed his secondary education at Hilmar High School and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1925.

Career

His professional journey began with positions at Commercial Credit Corporation, Transamerica Corporation, and Bank of Hawaii. Peterson joined Bank of America in 1936 and spent twenty years working throughout California. He then served as president of Bank of Hawaii for six years before returning to Bank of America in 1961 as vice chairman. In 1963, he was elevated to president and CEO. Peterson retired from this role in 1969, with Alden W. Clausen succeeding him. In 1972, he was appointed as the second Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, where he managed international economic aid programs.

Among his accolades, Peterson was honored as the University of California, Berkeley's Alumnus of the Year in 1967 and received the Chancellor's Award in 1991. The Swedish Council of America named him Swedish-American of the Year in 1965, and he later served as chairman of its Board between 1989 and 1991.

External links

• The Peterson Museum - Nemea Center for Classical Archaeology