William F. May
Encyclopedia
William Frederick May was an American
chemical engineer
, businessman and co-founder of the Film Society of Lincoln Center
.
May was born in Chicago
in 1915 and raised in the suburb of Oak Park
. He graduated from Oak Park High School
and earned a bachelor's degree
in chemical engineering
from the University of Rochester
in 1937. He pursued graduate studies at both the University of Chicago
and the Illinois Institute of Technology
.
In the 1930s, May joined DuPont
as part of a research team which developed the first rust
-proof paint
. He was hired by the American Can Company in 1940, based in a laboratory in Maywood, Illinois
. May became head of the American Can Company
and shepherded the company through fifteen years of expansion and growth from 1965. He spearheaded American Can Company's relocation of its corporate headquarters
to Greenwich, Connecticut
, in 1972.
May was elected to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
' board of directors in 1967. He was tasked with establishing a new film department for Lincoln Center. He worked as the program's chief fundraiser, while two other members of the committee handled artistic contributions, Richard Roud
and Amos Vogel
, both of whom founded the New York Film Festival
. However, Lincoln Center withdrew financial support from the committee in 1968 due to financial woes. May searched for new financial donors. In 1969, May and two Lincoln Center executives, Schuyler G. Chapin and Martin E. Segal
, co-founded the Film Society of Lincoln Center
.
May retired from the American Can Company in 1980. He served as the dean
of what is now called the New York University Stern School of Business
for four years. He later became the chief executive of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, eventually becoming chairman emeritus in 2006.
William May died on September 18, 2011, in Greenwich, Connecticut
, where he resided since 1970, at the age of 95. Before moving to Greenwich, he and his family had lived in nearby Chappaqua, New York
. He was survived by his, Kathleen; two daughetrs; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
, businessman and co-founder of the Film Society of Lincoln Center
Film Society of Lincoln Center
The Film Society of Lincoln Center based in New York City, United States, is one of the world's most prominent film presentation organizations. Founded in 1969 by three Lincoln Center executives - William F. May, Martin E. Segal and Schuyler G...
.
May was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1915 and raised in the suburb of Oak Park
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
. He graduated from Oak Park High School
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Oak Park and River Forest High School, or OPRF, is a public four-year high school located in Oak Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is the only school of Oak Park and River Forest District 200....
and earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
from the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
in 1937. He pursued graduate studies at both the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and the Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
.
In the 1930s, May joined DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
as part of a research team which developed the first rust
Rust
Rust is a general term for a series of iron oxides. In colloquial usage, the term is applied to red oxides, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture...
-proof paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
. He was hired by the American Can Company in 1940, based in a laboratory in Maywood, Illinois
Maywood, Illinois
Maywood is a village in Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It was founded on April 6, 1869 and organized October 22, 1881. The population was 26,987 at the 2000 census.-Overview:...
. May became head of the American Can Company
American Can Company
The American Can Company was a manufacturer of tin cans. It was a member of the Tin Can Trust, that controlled a "large percentage of business in the United States in tin cans, containers, and packages of tin." It was formerly a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from 1959–1991, though...
and shepherded the company through fifteen years of expansion and growth from 1965. He spearheaded American Can Company's relocation of its corporate headquarters
Corporate headquarters
Corporate headquarters is a term used to describe the entity at the top of a corporation to take full responsibility for the overall success of the corporation, ensures Corporate Governance...
to Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
, in 1972.
May was elected to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
' board of directors in 1967. He was tasked with establishing a new film department for Lincoln Center. He worked as the program's chief fundraiser, while two other members of the committee handled artistic contributions, Richard Roud
Richard Roud
Richard Roud was an American writer on film and co-founder, with Amos Vogel, and a former program director and latterly director of the New York Film Festival from 1963 to 1987....
and Amos Vogel
Amos Vogel
Amos Vogel was one of the most influential cineasts in New York. He is best known for his bestselling book Film as a Subversive Art and as the founder of the New York City avantgarde ciné-club Cinema 16 , where he was the first programmer to present films by Roman Polanski, John Cassavetes,...
, both of whom founded the New York Film Festival
New York Film Festival
The New York Film Festival has been a major film festival since it began in 1963 in New York. The films are selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center...
. However, Lincoln Center withdrew financial support from the committee in 1968 due to financial woes. May searched for new financial donors. In 1969, May and two Lincoln Center executives, Schuyler G. Chapin and Martin E. Segal
Martin E. Segal
Martin E. Segal is a Russian-born American businessman. Segal co-founded the Film Society of Lincoln Center in 1969 with two other Lincoln Center executives, William F. May and Schuyler G. Chapin...
, co-founded the Film Society of Lincoln Center
Film Society of Lincoln Center
The Film Society of Lincoln Center based in New York City, United States, is one of the world's most prominent film presentation organizations. Founded in 1969 by three Lincoln Center executives - William F. May, Martin E. Segal and Schuyler G...
.
May retired from the American Can Company in 1980. He served as the dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of what is now called the New York University Stern School of Business
New York University Stern School of Business
The Leonard N. Stern School of Business is New York University's business school. It was established in 1900 as the NYU School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance. In 1988 it was named after Leonard N. Stern, an alumnus and benefactor of the school...
for four years. He later became the chief executive of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, eventually becoming chairman emeritus in 2006.
William May died on September 18, 2011, in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
, where he resided since 1970, at the age of 95. Before moving to Greenwich, he and his family had lived in nearby Chappaqua, New York
Chappaqua, New York
Chappaqua is a hamlet and census-designated place in northern Westchester County, New York. As of the 2010 census, following a major revision to the delineation of its boundaries by the Census Bureau, the population was 1,436...
. He was survived by his, Kathleen; two daughetrs; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.