J. Howard Pew
Encyclopedia
J. Howard Pew was an American philanthropist and co-founder of Sunoco
(Sun Oil Company).
Joseph Howard Pew was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania
in 1882 and raised as a devout Presbyterian. In 1886 Pew’s father, Joseph Newton Pew
, Sr. (1848–1912) started an oil business in Pennsylvania, expanding to Texas when oil was discovered near Beaumont in 1901. This company became known as the Sun Oil Company. J. Howard Pew attended Shady Side Academy
, Grove City College
, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and then worked as a refinery engineer for one of his father's companies. In 1912 with his brother Joseph N. Pew, Jr.
, J. Howard Pew took over management of the Sun Oil Company (now known as Sunoco) improving the company's refining, marketing, and distribution.
On Pew’s insistence, in 1962 Sun Oil filed an application for a commercial oilsands project in Canada – the first ever constructed. In 1967, Pew told his audience at opening ceremonies for the Great Canadian Oil Sands plant that “No nation can long be secure in this atomic age unless it be amply supplied with petroleum... It is the considered opinion of our group that if the North American continent is to produce the oil to meet its requirements in the years ahead, oil from the Athabasca area must of necessity play an important role.” Today, GCOS is known as the Suncor oilsands plant.
He was awarded the Vermilye Medal in 1950.
J. Howard Pew died in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
in 1971.
. J. Howard Pew also donated the funds for the J. Howard Pew Freedom Trust in 1957. Pew provided early funding to support Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
in Massachusetts, working closely with Billy Graham
and Harold Ockenga
.
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
(Sun Oil Company).
Joseph Howard Pew was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
in 1882 and raised as a devout Presbyterian. In 1886 Pew’s father, Joseph Newton Pew
Joseph Newton Pew
Joseph Newton Pew was the founder of Sun Oil Company and a prominent philanthropist.Joseph N. Pew was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to John Pew and Nancy Glenn. He worked on the family's farm as a child. Pew attended public schools in Mercer and graduated from Edinboro Normal School...
, Sr. (1848–1912) started an oil business in Pennsylvania, expanding to Texas when oil was discovered near Beaumont in 1901. This company became known as the Sun Oil Company. J. Howard Pew attended Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy is a private, secular coeducational PK-12 preparatory school located on three campuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, established in 1883.- Campuses :Shady Side Academy has three campuses in Pittsburgh....
, Grove City College
Grove City College
Grove City College is a Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, about north of Pittsburgh. According to the College Bulletin, its stated three-fold mission is to provide an excellent education at an affordable price in a thoroughly Christian environment...
, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and then worked as a refinery engineer for one of his father's companies. In 1912 with his brother Joseph N. Pew, Jr.
Joseph N. Pew, Jr.
Joseph Newton Pew, Jr. was an American industrialist and influential member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...
, J. Howard Pew took over management of the Sun Oil Company (now known as Sunoco) improving the company's refining, marketing, and distribution.
On Pew’s insistence, in 1962 Sun Oil filed an application for a commercial oilsands project in Canada – the first ever constructed. In 1967, Pew told his audience at opening ceremonies for the Great Canadian Oil Sands plant that “No nation can long be secure in this atomic age unless it be amply supplied with petroleum... It is the considered opinion of our group that if the North American continent is to produce the oil to meet its requirements in the years ahead, oil from the Athabasca area must of necessity play an important role.” Today, GCOS is known as the Suncor oilsands plant.
He was awarded the Vermilye Medal in 1950.
J. Howard Pew died in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
in 1971.
Philanthropy
With his siblings, Pew was a co-founder of The Pew Charitable TrustsThe Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization , founded in 1948. With over US$5 billion in assets, its current mission is to serve the public interest by "improving public policy, informing the public, and stimulating civic life."-History:The Trusts, a single...
. J. Howard Pew also donated the funds for the J. Howard Pew Freedom Trust in 1957. Pew provided early funding to support Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary whose main campus is based in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, with three other campuses in Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina and Jacksonville. The current president of Gordon-Conwell is Dennis Hollinger...
in Massachusetts, working closely with Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
and Harold Ockenga
Harold Ockenga
Harold John Ockenga was a leading figure of 20th century American evangelicalism, part of the reform movement known as "Neo-Evangelicalism". A Congregational minister, Ockenga served for many years as pastor of Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts. He was also a prolific author on...
.