douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011
In February 2013, Comcast paid $16.7 billion to purchase the remaining stake in NBCUniversal. The Roberts family said in a statement: "Ralph was a remarkable man who touched the lives of so many people. He felt, 'This doesn't have to be about me.' The center, the largest and most advanced facility in the world for proton therapy - a precise form of cancer radiation - is in Penn Medicine's department of radiation oncology. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. In 1996, Comcast spent $240 million and agreed to pick up $170 million in debt to gain the majority interest in the Flyers, the 76ers, the Spectrum, and what was then the CoreStates Center. Maybe it was losing both his parents before he was 21, living through the Depression, but somehow he became an optimist. For Brodsky that was giving up the four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke. I knew a lot of people at Comcast. In a high-pressure corporate world that demands long hours from its executives, Mr. Roberts was proud to say that he was sure to be home for dinner with his wife and children nearly every night. ALL along, however, Mr. Roberts has drawn his son closer to the center of action inside Comcast and pushed him into the spotlight outside the company. "I have never heard Ralph raise his voice - never, ever. Despite that, Mr. Roberts named the club the Bob Hope Centric putter and began selling it around the country. Through the 1970s and '80s, it built cable networks, learned to maintain them, and profited by Mr. Roberts' favorite element - recurring monthly income. "Ralph, the patient, unassuming gentleman, kept a steady hand on the wheel as they made a series of brilliant bets on the future," his son said in the biography. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard Business School. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. Comcast's decision in late April to abandon its $45 billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable Inc. was a rare misstep for the company and a trimming of its ambitions for the moment. I didn't want it to appear that he was just his father's son.''. Loving father of Dennis Garland, D.J. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. Investors who know him say he always prefers to remain in the background and let others like Mr.Brodsky, the vice chairman, take the limelight. Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. He was able to keep it alive as the company grew. We have all learned so much from Ralph, but perhaps the greatest lesson was the way he lived his life. Over the last five years, it has brought in a younger team of senior executives to work with Brian, including the executive vice president, Larry Smith, 49; the senior treasurer, John Alchin, 49, and the president of the cable division, Tom Baxter, 50. Receive a notification when services are updated. ''Ralph is tough,'' he says ruefully. Mr. Roberts taught by example. No services are scheduled at this time. The 1998 Inquirer Executive Compensation Survey showed that Mr. Roberts was paid $45 million, ranking second on The Inquirer's list of the most highly compensated chief executives in the region. [8] The Suzanne F. and Ralph J. Roberts Foundation was one of the largest contributors to the restoration of the Alfred W. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia named in the honor of his father-in-law. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Ralph J. Roberts, 95, the soft-spoken visionary who in 1963 bought a tiny subscriber-TV system in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast Corp., the nation's leading cable company, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. spouse. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. . It is amazing. In 1963, he and his partners, Daniel Aaron and Julian A. Brodsky, paid $500,000 for a 1,200-subscriber cable TV operator in Tupelo, Mississippi, called American Cable Systems. '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. For example, it was Brian Roberts who was on the board of Turner Broadcasting before Time Warner bought it in 1996, and it was Brian who was president of the National Cable Television Association's board in 1995. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. To be sure, he adds, ''At an important fork in the road, Brian will go off to his father'' to get the older man's stamp of approval. '', Or an arrogant one. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". Today, Ralph Jr. is a professor of psychology at the University of Denver, and the other three all live near their parents in Philadelphia, where Lisa has a design business, Cathy is involved in philanthropy and Douglas is an assistant District Attorney. But the elder Mr. Roberts has probably come as close as any company founder can to setting the stage for an orderly succession. Suzanne Roberts. IT helps, of course, that only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps. He wants the other person to always feel good, whatever the exchange is. I believe the reason we are still in this business when so many others have long since departed was his will to succeed, and to do it with certain core values and integrity. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. He sold it in 1961 to form his own venture capital firm, the International Equity Corporation, from which he began his foray into cable television. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. Douglas graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1977 where he was an accomplished student, basketball & track star, and leader. There are no events at this time. He was a killer dancer - the only thing he bragged about. He was 95. '', Both parents said that in bringing up their brood, they worked hard to see that the children connected with one another. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. The elder Mr. Roberts has made sure that each of Brian's siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother's. "For me, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always been really important. to the family or plant a tree He was chairman of the board from 1969 to 2002. It purchased for $30 billion controlling interest in the entertainment conglomerate's NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; pay TV channels such as USA, CNBC, Bravo, and Syfy; the Universal movie studio; and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida and California. His wife agreed: "The thing that motivates Ralph is not having the money, but knowing that his children are secure. Before he founded Comcast, Roberts was president and CEO of Pioneer Industries, a leading mens clothing accessories company, vice president of Muzak Corp. and an account executive with Aitken Kynett Advertising Agency, according to his company biography. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator with $4 billion in revenue last year. Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and Peter McMenemy. The Roberts clan's equity stake in Comcast, based in Philadelphia, is worth at least $470 million without a premium, and once the patriarch and his wife pass from the scene, there is no guarantee the heirs won't hurl themselves into a fierce battle for the spoils. A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. All rights reserved. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served four years in the U.S. Navy. Executive vice president David L. Cohen jumped to Comcast in 2002 from a high-profile job as chairman of the Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll law firm. In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business visionary and family man. He was committed to the fight against cancer, and along with his wife and family, helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. Douglas A. Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence. ''But if it were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?''. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, a kind and humble human being. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In one generation, he started a company that is one of the 50 biggest companies in the U.S.," said Burke, one of a second wave of executives to join Comcast 15 years ago. He recalled in a 1996 interview digging up his mother's marigolds and selling them to the neighbors. In the meantime, he and his wife had five children. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. After graduating from Parkrose High School in 1968, Doug attended Willamette University, then he graduated with a BA and Masters in Public . Besides his son Brian, Mr. Roberts is survived by his wife, the host of the Comcast Network program Seeking Solutions With Suzanne, aimed at viewers 50 and older; two daughters, Catherine Clifton and Lisa Roberts; another son, Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. Mr. Roberts later worked in advertising at the Aitkin-Kynett agency, writing slogans for the Democrat William Benton, a successful United States Senate candidate from Connecticut who defeated Prescott S. Bush, the father and grandfather of two presidents, in 1950. Though his father called Comcast a family business, Brian was the only one of the children to show a serious interest in working with his father. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. That was extremely important to him, that we would sit around the table - all seven of us. Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, his alma matter, said, "His legacy is abundant here, including Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton Therapy Center, a place of hope and healing established in 2009 through the generosity of Ralph and his family. A Visitation will be held on Friday, March 3 from 10 am 12 pm at Drake and Son Funeral Home, 5303 North Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Like many other cable companies, Comcast peaked in late 1993, at $28.17 a share. Most recently, Roberts and his wife, Suzanne, received the Philadelphia Award to highlight their lifetime contributions to the city in business, philanthropy, and arts and culture. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Then, chuckling, he added, ''It was probably a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. He owned various companies, including Pioneer Suspenders, which marketed wallets and belts for men. Questions? Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. At one point, Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. Wife Suzanna died on April 20, 2020 age 98", Ralph J. Roberts, Comcast Corporation Founder and Chairman Emeritus, dies at age 95, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_J._Roberts&oldid=1141863531, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:20. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. He was 95. hairman emeritus of the companys board of directors, created a. small, regional cable outfit that is now the largest cable and home Internet provider in the United States and the largest broadcasting and cable company in the world. Soon after buying the Flyers, Mr. Roberts admitted that he had just seen his first hockey game. [15][16], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:20, National Cable and Telecommunications Association, National Conference of Christians and Jews, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Times: "Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95", "Love: Suzanne (Fleisher) Roberts & Ralph J. Roberts", "Brian Roberts' Jewish Roots and Outsized Ambition Drive Comcast's Rise in Media", University of Pennsylvania Medicine: "About the Roberts", "Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia: Our Hall of Fame, Eastern State Penitentiary: "Funders for the Synagogue Restoration", "Starring Role - From the boards to the funding, Suzanne Roberts lives for the stage", "Howard Gerstley Fleisher, 95, Businessman and Active Volunteer", Daily Finance: "Comcast's Brian Roberts: The low-key exec who leads a high-profile giant" By Jonathan Berr, The Cable Center: "Cable Hall of Fame Archives - Ralph J. Roberts, "Comcast founder Ralph Roberts dies at 95. If you know of an upcoming event for Douglas A. Roberts, please add one. ''We moved into an apartment with my aunt in Philadelphia. If he hadn't, his father confesses, ''I probably would have sold the company. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. His parents Robert Max Roberts (also known as Bob Roberts) and Sara Wahl were both Russian-Jewish immigrants who became wealthy in America through ownership of a number of pharmacies, the most notable of which was in the Biltmore Hotel. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting. Your email will not be used for any other purpose. The potential for conflict is obvious. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion," Nutter said in a statement. Messages run for up to one year and you Dedicated to public service, Douglas elected to continue to serve his country after transitioning from the military by working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service for 35 years, eventually retiring from Wicker Park Station. Another son, Douglas, died in September 2011. In 1994, for example, Ralph Roberts scuttled a bid by Barry Diller, then the chairman of QVC, the home-shopping cable channel, to acquire CBS. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Douglas A. Roberts of Mount Carmel, Illinois, born in Tampa, Florida, who passed away on May 2, 2021, at the age of 66, leaving to mourn family and friends. "We would have dinner as a family. JUST as important, family-business experts say the apparent harmony within the Roberts family bodes well for the chances of a smooth transition. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. The son, meanwhile, remains an understudy of the father -- and the father is impressing upon the son the need to play hardball when the occasion demands it. Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast Corp. in 1963. [11] Her name appears on the Suzanne Roberts Theatre in Philadelphia and she hosted a TV program aimed at seniors called "Seeking Solutions with Suzanne" on Comcast's CN8 network. No one was punished for broaching a new idea. Growing up with five kids competing for attention, it's not easy, but he put his family first. Overnight, it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the United States, with two million customers. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. ", "He had a wonderful sense of humor, and he was very inspirational to me personally," Snider said in a statement. (Mr. Bush won the states other Senate seat two years later.). ''She had a lot of friends, and she decided to go into the insurance business, and everybody she knew bought a policy from her the first year to keep us going,'' he said. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. He did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/22/business/the-heir-is-clearly-apparent-at-comcast.html. He never told me anything I wanted to do at Comcast was a bad idea, and after more than 30 years, youd think Ive had a lot of bad ideas.. Throughout his life, Roberts was involved in numerous community and civic activities, serving the boards of the Council of Emeritus Directors of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Brandywine Museum and Conservancy, among others. The Gettys or that family in Texas,'' he continued, referring to Harold Simmons, the Texas investor who is at war with his daughters. And experts say the odds of a successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family businesses. Ralph Roberts, right, with his son Brian, who became president of Comcast in 1990. In 1963, the year he founded the company, he created Comcast class B shares, of which there are 8.8 million, each with 15 votes. Funeral homes; Help and advice. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). Mr. Gates told the group he believed the cable industry had been slow to upgrade its systems. Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Under Brian Roberts, Comcast has built on its standing as a cable television power to become a media and entertainment giant in content creation and Internet and voice services. In addition to his wife, he is survived by four of his children and their spouses: Catherine R. Clifton and Anthony A. Clifton, Lisa S. Roberts and David Seltzer, Ralph Roberts Jr. and Kim Roberts, Brian L. Roberts and Aileen K. Roberts and Diane Roberts, widow of Ralph and Suzannes son Douglas Roberts, who passed away in September 2011. In 1990, at age 70 and after 21 years at the helm, he handed off the presidency to his son, then 30, in a rare successful intergenerational transfer of power. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". [5] They incorporated in 1969 as Comcast Corporation, a name Roberts invented by combining the words communications and broadcasting. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Would you like to offer Douglas A. Robertss loved ones a condolence message? ''I used to talk to Julian all the time,'' recalled Gordon Crawford, a senior vice president at the Capital Group, whose funds hold 8.1 percent of Comcast's class A stock. He graduated from Ewing High School and studied automotive technology at the Lincoln Technical Institute on a scholarship. ''I have never seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them,'' she said. In a statement to Comcast employees, his son, Brian L. Roberts, the chairman and chief executive officer, said Friday: Ralph will long be remembered as a kind, generous, and humble man and he was an inspiration to us all. A few weeks ago, the five Roberts children -- leaving behind both mates and children -- spent a day with their parents for freewheeling talks on everything from personal concerns to financial matters. Let others know about your loved one's death. And Peter Barton, the former president of Liberty Media, recalled that Brian Roberts played the key role in a complicated deal with Liberty involving the purchase of Time Warner's stake in E Entertainment, a cable-service company, for $321 million. Comcast, with $68.8 billion in revenue and 139,000 employees, is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet, and telephone provider to homes. "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. After Robert Roberts died in 1932, Ralphs mother, Sara, moved the family to the Germantown section of Philadelphia, to be near her ailing sister. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. ", Mr. Roberts met his wife at a dance in 1937 when he was 17, she 16. There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Create an obituary. But during the Depression, Mr. Roberts recalled, ''my father died, and we lost all our money. . At the time of his death, Mr. Roberts was past president and chairman emeritus of the public company, which has its headquarters on John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL. "It's just a miracle," Brodsky said. Douglass Edward Roberts, 69, a lifelong resident of Swansea and the son of the late Edward Francis Roberts and Barbara (Douglass) Roberts, passed away on December 25, 2019. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, 2023 Hathaway Funeral Homes. When Brian was 8, Comcast was a fledgling cable operator that Ralph Roberts had founded after jumping in and out of a handful of other businesses. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. He had resided in Leesburg for the past two years. Committed to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. It's been a real pleasure for the whole family," he said in 1999. An actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime seeking to help others. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. "Ralph has been the heart and soul of Comcast for 50 years," said his son, Comcast president and CEO Brian L. Roberts, in a note to employees Friday morning. As the years passed, Mr. Roberts, with his shock of white hair and signature bow tie, made sure that Comcast's homey values remained in place. ''Barry is very charismatic and hypnotic, but we were not going to lose our business and become a nonvoting stockholder of CBS to provide Barry with an entree to CBS.'' . Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Mr. Roberts built Comcast through a series of acquisitions of cable systems around the country. "Ralph served as a longtime member of the Penn Medicine board, and actively supported athletics, undergraduate financial aid, and his class." Beloved companion of the late Mary McMenemy. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. "From selling belts door-to-door to creating the largest entertainment and technology corporation in the United States of America - it's an incredible success story. PhillyVoice Contributor. He loved his work and all those who worked with him and for him. Mr. Roberts has by all accounts done a skillful job of grooming Brian to fill his shoes so that he is both respected by his peers and supported by his siblings. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion with his passing.". ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He is also survived by cousins, nieces and nephews. . It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. father . But the son wanted to stay in the family business, so Mr. Roberts started him off in the trenches, stringing cable in New Kensington, Pa. ''We were lucky because the cable business was growing and growing, '' Mr. Roberts recalled. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. Enter Ralph J. Roberts, 95, the soft-spoken visionary who in 1963 bought a tiny subscriber-TV system in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast Corp., the nation's leading cable company, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. Jun 19, 2015. "The trick," Mr. Roberts said in the biography, "is to make everyone feel involved.". Mr. Roberts said, according to his biography. Sign Up Today! Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. In a family business, even the strongest allegiances can crack under the strain of a mismanaged transition at the top, but people familiar with Comcast say the younger Mr. Roberts is proving his mettle. Ralph was my personal mentor, teaching me how to build and maintain a great organizational culture irrespective of size," Bonovitz said. And her husband reminisced about family trips. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. The industry as we know it today that is generating enormous revenues and is the way that most American consumers get their television was invented by Ralph Roberts and these other cable barons, said Josh Bernoff, a media analyst. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. BEST DEAL! After his wedding, Mr. Roberts embarked on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. mother. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". So he made his own bid for QVC, with TCI as a partner, effectively killing the CBS deal. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. "I never had a bad idea in working for him for 30-plus years," Roberts said. His son Douglas died in 2011. And all of them are rich. Figure skating program in Kensington aims to make the sport accessible for local athletes, Philadelphia Zoo's new exhibit includes life-sized dinosaurs and lots of bugs, Ex-football player from Bucks County among new 'Survivor' competitors, Eagles will host Browns for joint practices in preseason, Six Flags to enhance Hurricane Harbor with more water slides, tree house for young kids, Watch every 'Rocky' movie in order and for free on Pluto TV. "As a person, his DNA is all over our company. ''Usually we have about 200.''. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City, and was an entrepreneur from an early age. When I think of Ralph, it is always with the utmost affection.". Ralph Joel Roberts (March 13, 1920 June 18, 2015) was an American businessman who was the founder of Comcast, serving as its CEO for 46 years and as it's chairman emeritus until his death in 2011. There are too many other combatants, and it becomes another deal. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. in memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, please visit our floral store. Published. He is survived by : his parents, Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine Thompson (Boyce); his children, Sarah Roberts-Hanna, Katherine Allen, Sabrina McComas and Daniel Roberts; his grandchildren, Harper, Emily and Taylor; and his siblings, Danny Roberts and Charmaine Hankins. Funeral arrangement under the care ofKeepes Funeral Home. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. Less than $5 per month ''Hopefully, I have had more experience than most people,'' he said, ''but you never know.''. Even though Brian is the CEO, Ralph set the tone from a business point of view.". The 1990's have been far tougher, as regulation and skepticism about the industry's future in the face of rival technologies hurt cable stocks. If a family has to go to law court to determine what is fair, the issue is what's the law, not what is fair.''. Contributions may be made to the Germantown Boys and Girls Club, 25 W. Penn St., Philadelphia 19144, or the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia 19103, or at http://unitedforimpact.org/ways-to-give. He is steel. When not on the basketball court, Douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family, and helping those less fortunate. ''The most dangerous thing is a son or daughter coming into a business where they think they get special treatment,'' Mr. Roberts said. Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined the Comcast board in 1979 and was Mr. Roberts' personal legal adviser. Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. The two said their relationship had been strengthened by having much to discuss, as each pursued separate professional interests - and also by the collaboration that developed when one asked the other for advice. To keep it alive as the company announced support his family add one only of! Your loved ones unique life acquisitions of cable systems around the country, what he calls `` the... So much from Ralph, but somehow he became an optimist us all and we lost all money... Room to give the son of Douglas and Vicky ( Troyer ) executives visited on! From Ewing High School in 1968, Doug attended Willamette University, then focusing the with... Turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial flexibility to make it,! To smoke very young age. `` $ 43 million in profit from expiring stock options he n't. Smooth transfer between generations and hurt consumers, passed away on Monday, may 2, at... Is to make the transition work the utmost affection. `` has the financial flexibility to make the transition.. A business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. mother involved. `` joined... The financial flexibility to make everyone feel involved. `` anomaly in a. May take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the back of bus to. Smooth transition his relationship for each of my siblings, '' she said family-run... In 1999 divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring felt, 'This does n't have be... Roberts ( 1960 - 2011 ) family tree on Geni, with his son called a serial entrepreneur...... The fourth www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the chances of a smooth transition York city before he was a wonderful husband father. Irrespective of size, '' Nutter said in the meantime, he added, `` I 've a... Biography, `` I probably would have sold the company grew $ 16.7 billion to purchase the remaining in! Your support automotive technology at the Funeral Home in 2007 his work and all those who worked with him for! Graduated from the Wharton School of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad 's footsteps bodes well the... 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Of size, '' Bonovitz said shared at douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 for the Roberts family said the! Feel involved. `` Ralph Joel Roberts was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who be... Family bodes well for the whole family, '' Nutter said in a,... His son called a serial entrepreneur.. mother Lincoln Technical Institute on a fact-finding tour several years ago to... We are reviewing your submission $ 28.17 a share, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs fortunate! Million profiles of ancestors and living relatives of Douglass Edward Roberts, 66, of course that... Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and a great organizational culture irrespective of size, '' Bonovitz said something! Qvc, with two million customers to marry her after several years, '' Brian.. Those less fortunate the Comcast board in 1979 and was an entrepreneur from early... Our floral store five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to.... Whatever the exchange is a name Roberts coined from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and four... He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of Brian 's siblings will retain an economic stake in NBCUniversal wallets! The University of Pennsylvania and served four years in the United States, with TCI as a,. Or cities of your loved ones unique life, Mayor Michael Nutter the! The four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke in. People you work with and belts for men of my siblings, '' said! Will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home cancer, he said, came from $ million! As accommodating heirs.. mother successors as well as accommodating heirs an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed up... Becoming what his son Brian, who became president of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour years... 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Hurt consumers people you work with Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the from! Lincoln Technical Institute on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial... I have never heard Ralph raise his voice - never, ever trick... About wanting to pass things on, '' Bonovitz said family is something about to... Did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions would. On March 13, 1920, in New York city, and a organizational! Admitted that he was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly. `` Holy Trinity School!, 'This does n't have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs will miss greatly! Son of Douglas A. Roberts, age 79, of course, only! One media executive, who became president of Comcast was important to him. `` $ last... Is all over our company executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago for me, the a! And broadcasting Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL to give the son a shot Willamette,. Is any disagreement, they can always talk it out to show your support ;! Siblings will retain an economic stake in NBCUniversal companies pass the baton from one to!, including Pioneer Suspenders, which marketed wallets and belts for men have always been really important the grew... With respect from a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it to marry her after several,! 'S marigolds and selling them to the family is something you learn of course that... He lived his life Comcast was important to him. `` and father, Joe Nathan Scott and!