Hoover, Herbert Clark, jr.

Late deafened. Born in London, England, son of Herbert Clark Hoover sr., who later became President of the United States. Graduated Stanford University, 1925; MBA from Harvard Business School 1928 and taught there 1928-1930. Surveyor of West Coast air routes for the Guggenheim Foundation, then in 1935 founded the very successful United Geophysical Company for oil exploration, then became president of an engineering company. During World War II, became an oil industry consultant to several South American countries and was responsible for settling the 1951-1953 oil dispute between Iran and Britain, winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Appointed Deputy Underscretary of State by President Eisenhower; however, he was ineffective in that position, possibly in part because of his increasing deafness, and he almost bobbled the Suez Crisis of 1956. Retired from the State Department in 1957 and returned to private industry.