Ernest S. Marsh | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | October 9, 1975 | (aged 72)
Occupation | railroad executive |
Ernest S. Marsh (January 10, 1903 – October 9, 1975) was president of the Santa Fe Railway system from 1957 through 1966. He was instrumental in forming the railway's holding company, Santa Fe Industries, [1] [2] and served on the board of directors for the Regional Transportation Authority in Illinois.
Ernest Marsh was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on January 10, 1903. [3] In 1912, his father died, which led him to the workforce to help support his family. [4] His formal education did not last through high school, with him taking employment rather than graduating. [5]
Marsh first joined the Santa Fe as a file clerk in 1918 based in Clovis, New Mexico. [4] In a 1973 interview, he revealed that he had lied about his birthdate on his application because the minimum work age at the time was 16; [6] his birthdate in the employee records was not corrected for another 21 years. [5] He served in several clerk positions on the railway until becoming chief clerk at the railway's president's office in Chicago in 1942. [3] He was then promoted in 1944 to be an assistant to the president in 1944 and executive assistant to the president in 1945. [3]
In 1948 Marsh became the Santa Fe's financial vice president. Marsh ascended to the presidency of the Santa Fe on May 1, 1957, [4] succeeding Fred G. Gurley, who had served in that position since 1944. [3] At the same time, John Shedd Reed was named as the president's executive assistant. [3] Marsh was named chief executive officer on May 1, 1958, and chairman of the executive committee on May 1, 1959. [4] Marsh was not averse to spending money to help the railway's success, [1] nor did he spurn new technology, even going so far as to suggest the use of nuclear bombs to help excavate the railway's right-of-way. [7]
On January 1, 1967, Marsh took another promotion, this time to become chairman of the board of directors for the railway. [4] John Shedd Reed then succeeded Marsh as president.
Marsh finally retired from the Santa Fe on January 31, 1973, [6] but remained as a member of the board of directors until his death. [1] [2] Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley appointed Marsh to a two-year term on the board of directors for the Regional Transportation Authority in June 1974. [8]
Ernest Marsh died at home following a heart attack on October 9, 1975. [5] [8]