Robson, John - Papers

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

John Edwin Robson

June 21, 1930 Born, New York City, NY

1952 B.A., Yale University

1955 LL.B., Harvard University

1958-65 Leibman, Williams, Bennett, Baird and Minow (Partner and Associate)

1966 Special Assistant to the Director, Bureau of the Budget, Office of Management and Budget

1967-69 Undersecretary, U.S. Department of Transportation (General Counsel, 1967)

July-Sept. 1968 Administrator, Urban Mass Transportation Administration

1970-74 Sidley and Austin (Partner and Member of Executive Committee)

1975-77 Chairman, U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board

1978-85 G.D. Searle & Co. (including President and C.E.O.)

1980-83 Informal consultant, Reagan administration transition

1986-88 Emory University (Dean and Professor of Management, School of Business Administration)

1989-92 Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Department of the Treasury

1993- Yale University (Lester Crown Distinguished Faculty, School of Organization and Management)

1993- Heritage Foundation (visiting fellow, Co-Chair of the Advisory Council on Regulatory Reform)

1993 Member, National Commission to Ensure A Competitive Airline Industry

INTRODUCTION

John E. Robson has had a varied professional career in law practice, management, academia, and government service. He began his career in government in 1966 with the Office of Management and Budget. He has worked, as both unofficial and official advisor, for each administration since Lyndon Johnson's, mostly in economic and transportation matters.

A highlight of Robson's government service came when he was appointed as Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) in April 1975. When Robson took over, the CAB was under critical examination. The former chairman, Robert Timm, had resigned amid allegations that he accepted favors from American Airlines and controversy about how the CAB handled an investigation of questionable airline political contributions. In addition, the Ford administration was launching a major regulatory reform program, leading to media speculation that Robson had been appointed specifically to deregulate the airlines. Robson, however, maintains that he was appointed because he was well-known, "clean", competent, and known to people in the White House, especially Donald Rumsfeld, a friend since high school.[1]

Barely settled in his office, Robson immediately began efforts to lessen the controls on the airlines and to encourage competition between them. These actions were not universally popular. By the end of his tenure as Chairman, airlines were beginning to operate under relaxed price controls and more like traditional businesses. Although Robson's papers primarily reflect his activities and perspectives, researchers will get a sense of the overall reaction to his policies, especially from members of the CAB and the airline industry.

Before and after his appointment to the CAB, Robson served the Nixon, Ford, and Reagan administrations in various official and unofficial advisory capacities. He contributed to both the Nixon and Ford economic programs through his work with the 1970 Cost of Living Council; his participation in the October 1974 "Summit Conference on Inflation;" and by writing and distributing to White House officials his thoughts on such economic matters as inflation, wage and price policy, and economic efficiency. In addition, he advised the 1980 Reagan transition team on transportation issues. The Robson Papers reflect these activities.

Upon leaving the CAB Robson went back to the private sector to work in business and business education, but the collection does not document any of these activities. He returned to government service for a short time (1989-92) as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury; his speeches from this time period are part of the collection. There is also material from his work with the 1993 National Commission to Ensure a Competitive Airline Industry.

Related Materials (August 1995):

For additional material on the Civil Aeronautics Board, see the Dudley Chapman Files, and White House Central Files Subject File categories CA (Civil Aviation) and FG88 (Civil Aeronautics Board).

The initial accession of Robson Papers contained extensive material on his work in OMB and the Urban Mass Transportation Administration during the Johnson administration, but at the donor's request the Ford Library transferred that material to the Johnson Library in July 1994.

Container List

Box 1 Oral History

"The Move to Airline Deregulation: Perspective of Former CAB Chairman John E. Robson" Interview (1)-(2)

Subject File

Aviation Safety Commission, 1988 (1)‑(2)

Chief of Staff (ideas on goals for Don Rumsfeld)

Civil Aeronautics Board:

Airline Deregulation Bill

Air Service Improvement Act ‑ Analysis

Air Service Improvement Act ‑ Statement by Glenn Anderson

Aviation Act of 1975 ‑ Amendments (proposed by CAB task force)

Aviation Act of 1975 ‑ Analysis (1)‑(2)

Box 2 Subject File

Civil Aeronautics Board:

Aviation Act of 1975 ‑ Analysis (3)‑(4)

Correspondence, 5/77‑8/82

Dissolution

"Leak" to the press/Personnel matters (1)‑(3)

Pre‑Appointment Press Speculation and Criticism ‑ Clippings (1)‑(3)

Publications:

"Airline Deregulation: A Test Case for Fundamental Regulatory Reform"

Box 3 Subject File

Civil Aeronautics Board:

Publications:

"Aviation Regulatory Reform, Part II"

"Competition and the Airlines"

"Early Experience with Airline Deregulation"

"The Genesis of Airline Deregulation: The Role of the Kennedy Hearing and Report"

Miscellaneous

"Presentation of the Civil Aeronautics Board Before the US Senate Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation"

Box 4 Subject File

Civil Aeronautics Board:

Publications:

"Presentation of the CAB Before the Subcommittee on Aviation" (3/21/77)

"Regulatory Reform: Report of CAB"

Report on Activities

Robson resignation (4/30/77)

Sunset Seminar Proceedings

Telephone Calls (1)‑(4)

Box 5 Subject File

Civil Aeronautics Board:

Timm, Robert (re: Timm resignation and Dept. of Justice investigation of Timm) (1)‑(3)

Weekly Appointments, 1975‑77 (1)‑(3)

"Deregulation: Will It Help or Hinder?" (from a seminar on Private Placement, 1979 ‑‑ Robson's contribution)

Domestic Issues/Policy

Domestic Issues/Policy ‑ Clippings

Economic Program:

Background Memoranda (1)‑(3)

Ford speech (Robson's contributions) (1)‑(2)

Box 6 Subject File

Economic Program:

Summit Conference on Inflation:

Catalogue of Ideas (1)‑(3)

Correspondence

Economic Policy Recommendations (Ford speech)

General (includes material on Ford's speech) (1)‑(4)

Energy Program

Box 7 Subject File

International Air Transportation Association ‑ Annual General Meeting, 1993

Miscellaneous (1)‑(2)

National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry:

Briefing Book

General (1)‑(6)

Published Report

Robson dissent

Nixon Administration:

Civil Service Proposal

Correspondence with Don Rumsfeld (includes clippings and printed material) (1)‑(2)

Box 8 Subject File

Nixon Administration:

Cost of Living Council

Wage and Price Controls (1)‑(4)

Personal (mostly articles on airline deregulation) (1)‑(3)

Reagan Administration:

Letters of Congratulations, Recommendations

Policy and Personnel issues for regulatory agencies

Transition - Action Letter

Transition - General

Transition - Policy Analysis

Box 9 Subject File

Reagan Administration:

Transition - Secretary of Transportation (considerations for new appointees)

Transition - Transportation Issues Task Force

Representative Leadership Briefing, 10/4/74

Souvenirs

State of the Union Address, 1975 (1)‑(2)

Standards of Conduct

Watergate ‑ draft presidential remarks to Judiciary Committee

White House Staff ‑ General

White House Staff ‑ Counsel's Office

Personal Correspondence

A, 1975 ‑ B, 1975

Box 10 Personal Correspondence

B, 1976 ‑ D, 1975

Box 11 Personal Correspondence

D, 1976 ‑ H, 1975

Box 12 Personal Correspondence

H, 1976 ‑ L, 1977

Box 13 Personal Correspondence

M, 1975 ‑ P, 1976

Box 14 Personal Correspondence

Q, 1975 ‑ T, 1975

Box 15 Personal Correspondence

T, 1976 ‑ Z, 1977

Box 16 Speeches

Master Lists, 1989‑92

Index

9/10/1975, Wings Club, New York City

10/21/1975, Airport Operators Council International, Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico

10/30/1975, New York Society of Security Analysts, New York

11/5/1975, Boy Scouts Transportation Lunch‑O‑Rec, Chicago

11/12/1975, Subcommittee on Aviation of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee

11/13/1975, National Aviation Club, Washington DC

1/19/1976, United Airlines Management Conference, Chicago

1/20/1976, International Aviation Club, Washington DC

01/26/1976, Braniff International Management Club, Dallas

2/24/1976, Los Angeles Interline Management Club, Los Angeles

2/25/1976, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seattle

3/9/1976, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Public Works and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation

3/19/1976, O'Hare International Airport, Chicago

4/8/1976, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation

4/29/1976, U.S. House of Representatives

5/4/1976, Joint Subcommittees on Investigations and Aviation Committee on Public Works and Transportation

5/6/1976, Institutional Investor Institute 6th Annual Washington Roundtable, Washington DC

5/19/1976, Commuter Airline Association of America, Rosslyn, VA

5/25/1976, Senate Government Operations Committee

7/22/1976, Subcommittee on Aviation of the Senate Committee on Commerce

8/3/1976, Subcommittee on Aviation of the Senate Committee on Commerce

8/4‑5/1976, Subcommittee on Activities of Regulatory Agencies of the House Small Business Committee

8/31/1976, Subcommittee on Aviation of the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation

10/1/1976, Alaska State Chamber of Commerce Convention, Juneau, AL

10/7/1976, New York Society of Security Analysts, New York

10/14/1976, Houston Chamber of Commerce, Houston

10/26/1976, Aero Club, Washington DC

11/3/1976, Northwestern University Graduate School of Management, Chicago

12/9/1976, Aviation Committee on the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry, Chicago

4/8/1976, Yale Speech

3/21/1977, Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation

4/4/1977, Testimony of the Civil Aeronautics Board

3/4/1977, Subcommittee on Transportation of the Committee on Appropriations

3/7/1977, Subcommittee on Transportation of the Committee on Appropriations

4/18/1977, Subcommittee on Aviation House Committee on Public Works and Transportation

5/17/1977, International Aviation Club

6/28/1977, Ad Hoc Committee on Airline Regulatory Reform

07/14/1977, Task Force on Tax Expenditures, Government Organization and Regulation House Committee on the Budget

8/10/1977, Section on Utility Law, American Bar Association

9/20/1978, Salomon Brothers

9/12/1989, National Mortgage Conference of the National Council of Savings Institutions

9/15/1989, Leadership Conference of the American Bankers Association

9/20/1989, Exchequer Club

10/10/1989, Conference on Japanese Direct Investment

10/12/1989, Foreign Correspondence Club, Tokyo

10/21/1989, FLETCH Artesia Dedication Ceremony

11/9/1989, Chicago Committee

11/16/1989, Treasury Historical Association Lecture

3/7/1990, U.S. League of Savings Institutions

3/8/1990, Public Policy Issues Meeting

3/20/1990, American Business Conference Membership Meeting

3/14/1990, Treasury Executive Institute

4/1/1990, Press Briefing

4/2/1990, Independent Bankers Association of America

4/5/90, Center for Leadership and Career Change

4/19/1990, Press Briefing

4/25/1990, Mid‑America Committee Luncheon

4/26/1990, Press Briefing

5/1/1990, National Association of Women Business Owners and National Small Business United

5/15/1990, Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony

6/18/1990, Center for Strategic and International Studies

7/17/1990, Magazine Publishers and CEO

7/18/1990, Air Transport Association Board Officers and Senior Staff

9/24/1990, American Bar Association and American Bankers Association

10/10/1990, National Foreign Policy Conference

10/23/1990, Emerging Markets Advisory Committee

Box 17 Speeches

11/20/1990, Partnership for Democracy and Development in Central America

11/28/1990, Budapest, Hungary

1/9/1991, Top MINT Management Group

1/10/1991, The Association of Government Accountants

1/28/1991, Massachusetts Economic Development Authority Conference

1/29/1991, Yale School of Organization and Management

2/15/1991, Mount Rushmore Commemorative Coin Launch

2/27/1991, Conference at White House

3/18/1991, Joint Financial Management Improvement Program

4/9/1991, American Business Conference

4/11/1991, American Council of Life Insurance

4/11/1991, North Atlantic Assembly Symposium

4/11/1991, Arnold and Porter's Annual Meeting ‑ Financial Institutions Seminar

4/16/1991, SRI International Corporate Circle

4/30/1991, International Institute for Securities Market Development

4/30/1991, Emory University Executive MBA Program

5/9/1991, Conference of Business Economists

5/13/1991, Inter‑American Center of Tax Administrators

5/14/1991, White House Briefing

5/14/1991, Georgetown University School of Business Administration

5/21/1991, Organization of American States

5/23/1991, Arthur Anderson International Business Symposium

6/8/1991, Institute for East‑West Securities Studies

6/10/1991, Signing of Memoranda of Understanding

6/20/1991, Washington Workshop

7/24/1991, Management Training and Market Economies

7/26/1991, Briefing for Foreign Press

8/1/1991, Tirana, Albania

9/11/1991, CSIS Washington Roundtable

9/16/1991, Southern Governors Association Annual Meeting

9/17/1991, National Association of Securities Dealer

9/25/1991, National Council of the Housing Industry

10/14‑15/1991, Colorado Mortgage Bankers Association and Dallas Chamber of Commerce

10/23/1991, Private Sector Council Roundtable Discussion

10/31/1991, Appraisal Subcommittee, State Regulators Conference

11/4/1991, Annual Conference of the Interagency Committee on Women in Federal Law Enforcement

11/19/1991, Council for Excellence in Government

11/20/1991, National Association of Manufacturers

11/21/1991, Russell 20/20 Group

12/7/1991, Tax Foundation Conference

12/16/1991, National Examiners Meeting

1/8/1992, FLETCH Awards of Excellence Ceremony

1/10/1992, California Bankers Association

1/22/1992, Chicago Area Boy Scouts Council

1/23/1992, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the Business Roundtable Budget Symposium

1/27/1992, National Association of Home Builders

2/1/1992, Business Higher Education Forum

2/3/1992, Mortgage Bankers Association

2/7/1992, Remarks to Greater Boston Savings Bond Volunteer Luncheon

3/11/1992, Remarks to National Council of Community Bankers

4/2/1992, American Iron and Steel Institute

4/8/1992, Remarks to World Affairs Council Public Forum

4/21/1992, National Economists Club

5/6/1992, New York State Bankers Group

5/11/1992, New Hampshire Forum: Accessing Credit in a New Lending Environment

5/15/1992, White House Briefing

5/19/1992, Urban Land Institute

5/26/1992, Trade and Investment Council

6/8/1992, American Bankers Association

6/10/1992, Industrial Biotechnology Association

6/17/1992, U.S. ‑ Russia Business Summit

6/22/1992, Savings and Community Bankers of America

9/9/1992, American Electronics Association

9/19/1992, Business ‑ Government Relations Council

9/22/1992, Financial Account Standards Board

9/24/1992, Tri‑City Small Business Small Bank Regulatory Burden Luncheon

9/25/1992, Independent Bankers Association of Texas

9/29/1992, New York Stock Exchange

10/7/1992, Washington Rotary Club

10/23/1992, National Association of Manufacturers Board of Directors

11/9/1992, Kellogg Alumni Club of New York

11/16/1992, Financial Executives Institute

12/2/1992, Business Higher Education Forum

Box 18 Scrapbooks

Scrapbooks ‑ Volume I (1)‑(3)

Scrapbooks ‑ Volume II (1)‑(3)

Box 19 Scrapbooks

Scrapbooks ‑ Volume II (4)

Scrapbooks ‑ Volume III (1)‑(6)

[1] Summary, interview with John Robson conducted by Richard Smithey, 2/1981, "The Move to Airline Deregulation: Perspective of Former CAB Chairman John E. Robson," Box 1, John Robson Papers, Gerald R. Ford Library

Gerald R. Ford Library

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