William J. Hobbs
William J. Hobbs | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1903 |
| Died | July 12, 1977 (aged 73–74) Marietta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Education | Duke University American University |
| Title | President of The Coca-Cola Company |
William J. Hobbs (1903 – July 12, 1977) was an American businessman who served as the president of The Coca-Cola Company from 1946 until 1952.
Early life
Hobbs was born in 1903 in Wilmington, North Carolina. He attended Duke University and received a law degree from the Washington College of Law.[1] While at Duke, he became friends with his classmate Billy Werber.[2]
Career
In 1927, Hobbs became the advertising manager of The Washington Post. In the 1930s, he joined the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, and later worked at King & Spalding. In 1942, Hobbs joined the Coca-Cola Company as assistant counsel for the legal department and was later elected a vice president.[1][3][4]
In 1945, Mr. Hobbs transferred to the company's overseas subsidiary, the Coca-Cola Export Corporation, serving as its president until May 1946, when he was elected president of the Coca‐Cola Company.[1][5][6]
He resigned from the presidency in August 1952 and became a management and legal consultant for a number of companies.[7] In 1953, he founded Furniture Craftsmen Inc., a manufacturing and retail business in Marietta, and was associated with his two sons in that business until his illness.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "W. J. HOBBS IS DEAD AT 73; FORMER COCA‐COLA CHIEF". The New York Times. 1977-07-13. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ Werber, Bill; III, C. Paul Rogers (2013). Memories of a Ballplayer: Bill Werber and the 1930s. SABR, Inc. ISBN 978-1-933599-47-2.
- ↑ "Hobbs elected VP". The Atlanta Constitution. 1942-09-23. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ Donovan, Tristan (2013-11-01). Fizz: How Soda Shook Up the World. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-61374-722-3.
- ↑ "Coca-Cola Revises its Top Leadership". The New York Times. 1946-05-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ Pendergrast, Mark (2000-03-17). For God, Country, and Coca-Cola. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-465-05468-8.
- ↑ "COCA-COLA PROFITS RISE FOR HALF YEAR". The New York Times. 1952-08-03. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-08.