Robert Townsend (author)

Robert Chase Townsend (July 30, 1920 – January 12, 1998) was an American business executive and author who is noted for transforming Avis into a rental car giant, and writing ''Up the Organization'' on business management, which spent 28 weeks on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list upon its publication in 1970.

Biography

Townsend was born in Washington, D.C., in 1920. His parents moved to Great Neck, New York, where he spent his childhood. After high school, he was accepted to Princeton University, graduating in 1942. After graduating from college, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy, serving for the remainder of World War II.

After the war, he was hired by American Express (1948–1962). By the time he left the company, he was the senior vice president for investment and international banking. In 1962, Lazard Frères bought Avis, a struggling auto rental company that had never made a profit in its existence. One of the partners, André Meyer, convinced Townsend to leave American Express and become the chief executive of Avis (1962–1965). Under his direction as president and chairman, the firm became a credible force in the industry, fueled by Avis' agency Doyle Dane Bernbach copywriter Paula Green's slogan "We Try Harder" and its advertising campaign (1962–65). Avis also began to have profits, which Townsend credited to Theory Y governance.

"Townsend was inspired by Douglas McGregor, professor at MIT, and author of the highly influential 'The Human Side of Enterprise' (1960)."

When Townsend went on vacation, he instructed his assistant to forward all memos intended for him, to a subordinate or the best person to handle the memo, rubber stamped with "Please handle this in your own personal way", delegating his work to his team.

In 1965, ITT acquired Avis, leading to Townsend's departure as president. After leaving Avis, he became advisor and a senior partner of Congressional Monitor in 1969. The company was later renamed The Washington Monitor, Inc. (1995–2018), and subsequently Leadership Directories, Inc., and Leadership Connect (2019–). He wrote the essay on business management, ''Up the Organization'', which spent 28 weeks on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list upon its publication in 1970.

Decisions should be taken at the lowest level possible in the organisation. - Robert Townsend

Personal life

In 1990, Townsend had a triple-bypass surgery. During the late 1990s, he was the chairman of the executive committee of Leadership Directories (Washington Monitor). On January 12, 1998, while vacationing in Anguilla, he had a massive heart attack, and subsequently died. Townsend was married to Joan Tours. He had three daughters, executive and attorney Claire Townsend (1952–1995), actress Jill (b. 1945). and Joan P. Townsend, as well as two sons, Jeffrey and Robert Jr.

Works

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References

External links

Paging Robert Townsend

{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Robert
1920 births
1998 deaths
20th-century American businesspeople
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American non-fiction writers
20th-century people from New York (state)
20th-century people from Washington, D.C.
American business writers
American chief executives
American Express people
American male non-fiction writers
Businesspeople from New York (state)
Businesspeople from Washington, D.C.
People from Great Neck, New York
Princeton University alumni
United States Navy personnel of World War II
Writers from New York (state)
Writers from Washington, D.C.