John D. deButts | |
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deButts in 1972 | |
Born | (1915-04-10)April 10, 1915 Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
Died | December 18, 1986(1986-12-18) (aged 71) Winchester, Virginia, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Chairman & CEO at AT&T (1972–1979) |
John Dulany deButts (April 10, 1915 – December 18, 1986) was an American businessman. He served as the chairman and chief executive officer of AT&T from 1972 to 1979.
Biography
After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, where he studied electrical engineering. He received a bachelor's degree in 1936. He served as president of Illinois Bell. From 1972 to 1979, he served as chairman and CEO of AT&T. He objected to the United States federal government's antitrust efforts to break up AT&T. In 1984, he was dismayed by the decision to break up the Bell System's twenty-three operating companies.
In 1976, deButts received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
He served as chairman of The Business Council from 1977 to 1978.
He resided in a family farm in Upperville, Virginia. He died of a heart attack in Winchester, Virginia, on December 18, 1986.
References
- ^ Eric N. Berg, John D. deButts, Ex-Chairman of A.T.&T., Is Dead, The New York Times, December 18, 1986
- ^ John D. deButts, 71, former chairman and chief executive..., The Chicago Tribune, December 21, 1986
- ^ John deButts, Former AT&T Chief, Dies : Opposed U.S. Action to Break Up Communications Conglomerate, The Los Angeles Times, December 19, 1986
- "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
- The Business Council, Official website, Background Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine