Broadcasting (Jan - June 1936)

Major Lenox Lohr Chosen President of NBC By MARTIN CODEL Recent Head of Chicago Century of Progress Takes Post Jan.l As Aylesworth Resigns to Devote Time to RKO A FORMER military engineer, regarded by his colleagues in and out of the service as one of the most i' brilliant and capable young execu! tives in the country, becomes presiI dent and managing executive of the j NBC on Jan. 1, succeeding Merlin I Hall Aylesworth, who has resigned I to devote practically all his time to j his duties as chairman of the Radio-Keith-Orpheum Corp. He is Maj. Lenox Riley Lohr, until recently general manager of Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition, whose appointment was announced Dec. 27 by David Sarnoff, NBC board chairman and president of RCA, parent company, following meetings of the NBC and RCA boards on that day. At the same time Mr. Sarnoff announced the retaining of Joseph P. Kennedy, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, for the special purpose of making a study of the problems relating to 1 RCA's capital structure. t Proves a Surprise '' THE LOHR appointment came as a distinct surprise to everyone in the broadcasting industry, including most of the officials of NBC themselves, though it set at rest months of speculation regarding I changes in the NBC executive staff that has been rife since RCA's recent sale of half its stock holdings in RKO to New York banking : groups. Mr. Aylesworth, who had served as NBC's chief executive since the network was founded in 1926, for several years has been devoting most of his time to RKO duties and was elevated from the RKO presidency to its chairmanship when the sale was made sevI eral months ago. He remains with 1 NBC in an advisory capacity, as; suming the newly-created post of %'ice chairman, but will remain as chairman of RKO, whose new stock owners are expected shortly to exercise their option to purchase the I remaining half of RCA's holdings. ! The fact that Mr. Sarnoff's i statement announcing the election \ of Maj. Lohr asserted that he is assuming "full management responsibilities" aroused further speculation as to possible additional NBC executive staff changes, ' but RCA and NBC officials disclaim any such purpose. Richard C. Patterson Jr., executive vice president, will continue in that capacity, it was stated officially. I Mr. Lohr was in New York Dec. . 28 and conferred with Mr. Patter'■ son and other NBC officials. Aside from an expression of pleasure over his election to the NBC presidency, which, he said, afforded a wonderful opportunity to provide real public service, he had no public statement to make. Youthful and vigorous appeari ing, and an interesting conversaI tionalist, Mr. Lohr declared informally to a representative of Broadcasting that he looked forward with great interest to his prospective work in the field of broadcast LENOX RILEY LOHR ing. He said he had no definite plans or policies which he could discuss at this time, but would prefer to leave such matters alone until he orients himself in his new post. Mr. Lohr, it appeared evident, will have a more or less free hand in NBC operations. No immediate changes in personnel were indicated. On this score, the view prevailed that there would be none of significance any time soon and that changes both in personnel and policy, if any, would await the action or recommendations of the new president. Maj. Lohr, it was learned by Broadcasting, came to the attention of Mr. Sarnoff recently when he was being considered for the post of executive director of New York's projected world exposition. Mr. Samoff is on the city commission making plans for that exposition. Friends of Maj. Lohr, who had also been offered several other industrial jobs, had advised him against accepting the New York exposition post because of the intense strain he had undergone during the six years that he handled the Chicago exposition, and he had made up his mind not to accept. He comes to NBC with no previous experience in radio broadcasting, except as it was used incidental to the promotion of the Century of Progress. The Sarnoff statement indicated that his selection was based entirely upon his past record, asserting: "The NBC is fortunate in securing the services of Mr. Lohr for full management responsibilities. Mr. Lohr not only has had a successful career as engineer, soldier, instructor, author and editor, but has also demonstrated unusual qualities as an executive and business man by his strikingly successful management of the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. Mr. Lohr brings to his new duties a thorough training and experience in varied fields and a wide knowledge of our country." Management of Fair MAJ. LOHR is a native of Washington, D. C, where he was born Aug. 15, 1891. He was graduated with honors from Cornell University in 1916 as a mechanical and electrical engineer. Then he attended Claire College at Cambridge University in England. He joined the U. S. Army when it entered the war, serving with the engineers in January 1, 1936 • BROADCASTING France and winning a citation for meritorious service in action and rising to the rank of major. Upon his return from France he was assigned to duty with the Army engineering corps in Washington and for seven years served as editor there of the official journal of the Society of American Military Engineers, first called Professiovxil Memcnrs and later changed to Military Engineers. He was also a member of the advisory council of the Federal Board of Surveys and Maps. When he was about to be shifted to a new tour of duty, he was persuaded by his personal friend and Army associate. Gen. Charles G. Dawes, former Vice President of the United States, to accept an appointment as general manager of the Century of Progress. Gen. Dawes refers to Maj. Lohr in laudatory terms in his recent book of memoirs, paying high tribute to his Army career, his editorial work and his executive management of the big Chicago fair. Miss McGrew His Aide HIS FIRST assignment before going to Chicago was to go abroad and study the history of past fairs and expositions, and his immediate act upon taking his new job was to appoint several of his former Army engineering colleagues as his aides and department heads. His secretary, Miss Martha McGrew, remained with him throughout the task and is still with him, and will undoubtedly join him at NBC. She is described by Maj. Lohr's colleagues and friends as exceedingly capable and practically indispensable. Because he worked night and day on his Chicago job, Maj. Lohr declined to accept several other industrial positions offered him in order to rest after the exposition was liquidated. He makes his residence with his wife and five young children, three daughters and two sons, in Evanston, 111., and also has a country place on the Fox River in Wisconsin. His wife is the former Florence Josephine W^imsatt, of Washington, D. C, whom he married in 1924 while she was working as a graduate psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Maj. Lohr is a Catholic and, due to his long Army service, has maintained no political affiliations. He is a member of the National Highway Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Washington Academy of Science, Phi Sigma Sigma, Scabbard & Blade, National Press Club and Cherry Circle Club. He is the author of many technical papers in the engineering field and is vice president and member of the board of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. His hobbies, according to his friends, are hunting and fishing. RCA Capital Setup MR. SARNOFF lunched with President Roosevelt on Dec. 26 when it is presumed he advised the President of the proposed retention {Continued on page 57) Page