father . The elder Mr. Roberts kept the titles of chairman and chief executive. As Gregory B. Maffei, Microsoft's treasurer, sees it, the younger Mr. Roberts is no pawn of his father. ''But if it were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?''. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". 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. ''They drag the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in the company.''. For Brodsky that was giving up the four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. "That's what he stood for. The soft-spoken, affable Mr. Roberts never acquired the outsize public profile of cable pioneers like Ted Turner, John C. Malone, Charles F. Dolan and John Rigas, but his impact was comparable to theirs in making cable television a culture-changing industry giving viewers hundreds of channels, where they once had little more than a dozen, and persuading them to pay for something that had always been free. mother. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. 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. 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. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. I lived at home.'' Once the elder Mr. Roberts is out of the picture at Comcast, Wall Street will be watching closely to see whether the son can be as tough and decisive as his father. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. It is always business. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. ''We would have discussions about our lives. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. ''Usually we have about 200.''. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 6, 1955 - 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. Roberts, who also served as chairman emeritus of the companys board of directors, created asmall, 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. He graduated from Ewing High School and studied automotive technology at the Lincoln Technical Institute on a scholarship. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. In 2014, Comcast proposed a $45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. They are not your blood family, but you spend so much time with them, you should treat them like family. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. Get alerts, search tips, and advice from our experts. ". Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. After Brian received an undergraduate business degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1981, Ralph Roberts tried to steer him to another company, where he would have to fight his own battles. There are no events at this time. 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. JUST as important, family-business experts say the apparent harmony within the Roberts family bodes well for the chances of a smooth transition. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. '', That would have been a wrenching decision, as it almost invariably is for the founder of a company. 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. '', Or an arrogant one. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. (Mr. Bush won the states other Senate seat two years later.). It is amazing. We have all learned so much from Ralph, but perhaps the greatest lesson was the way he lived his life. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. His son Douglas died in 2011. ", "He's the same person as my boss that he has been as a dad; he's gracious, never interrupts when you're talking. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. ''This is a relatively unusual situation,'' said Leon Danco, president of the Center for Family Studies. Brian brought in the Walt Disney Company to put up most of the funds for the acquisition, even though Comcast management gained effective control of E Entertainment. 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. [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. And all of them are rich. Private. ''It's a pretty close family. A result was Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. "We would have dinner as a family. founded Comcast Corp. with the purchase of a 1,200-subscriber cable television system in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1963, died Thursday night of natural causes in Philadelphia. '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion with his passing.". I went to the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Immelt was aware that many deals dont get concluded, the elder Mr. Roberts was quoted as saying in The Incredible Dream, a 2012 biography by William Novak, and he wanted some reassurance from the father of the groom that we wouldnt let this opportunity slip through our fingers.. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. But during the Depression, Mr. Roberts recalled, ''my father died, and we lost all our money. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. The recent deal was begun when the executive committee of Cablelabs, the cable industry's research and development arm that included Brian Roberts and John Malone, chairman of Tele-Communications Inc., the country's largest cable operator, visited Microsoft in late April. It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. He had been born into an affluent home, the son of the owner of a small drugstore chain in Westchester County, N.Y. For a time, the family even had a chauffeur. 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. It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. ''We moved into an apartment with my aunt in Philadelphia. Brian L. Roberts (born June 28, 1959) is an American billionaire businessman, and the chairman and CEO of Comcast, an American company providing cable, entertainment, and communications products and services which was founded by his father, Ralph J. Roberts. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. "Ralph was always 'Ralph' to his rank-and-file employees, and a great listener who always checked his ego at the door. Funeral homes; Help and advice. Intrigued by the nascent cable industrys potential and aided by Mr. Aaron and Julian Brodsky, a Philadelphia accountant, Mr. Roberts decided to invest, overcoming his own initial misgivings and the even stronger doubts of his wife, Suzanne, who, he said, thought he was absolutely crazy., The cable business, you put up a tower, you run a line down through the telephone poles, you charge everybody $5 a month, and you dont do anything, so it didnt seem very appealing to me, Mr. Roberts recalled in receiving a television industry award in 2003. "Ralph was a remarkable man who touched the lives of so many people. There was another side to Mr. Roberts - as a mentor to those other than his son. "So much of what he is to the public is what he was to us. Luckily, the youngster had business smarts as well as enthusiasm. 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. The couple celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2012. [6], Roberts served on the boards of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Brandywine River Museum, the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, and the PENN Medicine Board of Trustees. OBITUARY Douglas McArthur ROBERTS April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022. The memory of the fiasco still rankles Mr. Diller. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The acquisition, which faced scrutiny from Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department, was scuttled in April of this year. 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. The potential for conflict is obvious. Early life and education [ edit] Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. ''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. That never happens.". But the elder Mr. Roberts has probably come as close as any company founder can to setting the stage for an orderly succession. Daughter Lisa said Mr. Roberts was an attentive father. Soon after buying the Flyers, Mr. Roberts admitted that he had just seen his first hockey game. In 1994, Comcast, which had helped start QVC Network, a West Chester-based home-shopping company, made a $2.2 billion bid to buy a majority stake in the company. "He wanted to keep the integrity, the family feel, and the dedication of employees. 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. Brodsky, the company's longtime finance guru, on Friday described Mr. Roberts as his best friend and a "charismatic, fearless visionary" who gave people the confidence to do things they thought were impossible. Find the obituary of Douglas A. Roberts (1955 - 2021) from Mount Carmel, IL. "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. ''Ralph and Julian have been intimately involved, but Ralph doesn't sit there until 4 A.M. in the lawyers' offices anymore. Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator with $4 billion in revenue last year. 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. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. Like many other cable companies, Comcast peaked in late 1993, at $28.17 a share. "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. But that verve was always tempered by a calm affability and a cautious approach to spending money. Anyone can read what you share. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Receive a notification when services are updated. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. ''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.'' [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. ''We had 650 analysts on the conference call to discuss the deal,'' recalled Brian Roberts, who handled the call for Comcast. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". The company also has 33 million shares of common stock with one vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes. A wonderful champion with his passing. `` checked his ego at the.. Competition and hurt consumers have 10 gift articles to give each month feared the... By a calm affability and a great listener who always checked his ego the... Of employees many other cable companies, Comcast proposed a $ 45.2 billion acquisition Time! - 2021 ) from Mount Carmel, IL champion with his passing..! 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