Background
Eugene Meyer was born on October 31, 1875 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of Eugene and Harriet (Newmark) Meyer.
Eugene Meyer was born on October 31, 1875 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of Eugene and Harriet (Newmark) Meyer.
He graduated from Yale University in 1895, and studied banking in Europe for two years.
In 1901 he founded the banking firm of Eugene Meyer, Jr., and Company, and until World War I was active in the oil, copper, and automobile industries. In 1917 he was appointed adviser to the War Industries Board and the following year was named managing director of the War Finance Corporation.
In 1931 he organized the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and became its first chairman.
In 1933 Meyer bought the bankrupt Washington Post at a public auction. From 1940 to 1946 he served as the paper’s editor and publisher, bringing it back to financial stability and achieving a high level of influence in the Washington community.
In 1947, after the Past merged with the Washington Times-Herald, Meyer became chairman of the Board of the Washington Post and Times-Herald, serving in this capacity until his death. The Washington Post Company, which he headed, also owned Newsweek magazine and various radio stations.
Clubs: Players, Lotus, Metropolitan, Cosmos, Congressional, Racquet, National Press, (Washington) Golf and Country (Washington).
Spouse Agnes Elizabeth Ernst, February 12, 1910, N.