Edwin Booz
Born 1887 · Age 138
American management consultant and co-founder of the consulting firm that became Booz Allen Hamilton.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Reading, Pennsylvania
Edwin George Booz born to Thomas H. Booz and Sarah (Spencer) Booz in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Mother died (Sarah Spencer Booz)
Edwin's mother, Sally (Sarah) Spencer Booz, died when Edwin was about four years old.
Accepted to Northwestern University
Booz began studies at Northwestern University (Kellogg School), setting the path for his academic background in economics and psychology.
Earned bachelor's degree in economics
Booz completed a bachelor's degree in economics at Northwestern University.
Worked as advertising statistician (Woman's World)
During graduate school Booz worked ~16 months as an advertising statistician for Woman's World magazine; his supervisor encouraged him to start his own business.
Earned master's degree in psychology; thesis completed
Received an M.A. in psychology from Northwestern; master's thesis titled 'Mental Tests for Vocational Fitness' advised by Walter Dill Scott.
Founded Business Research Service (first consulting firm)
Immediately after graduation Booz borrowed funds and opened a small consulting firm in Chicago under the name Business Research Service, offering studies and investigations for commercial and trade organizations.
Public announcement of Business Research Service
Edwin G. Booz announced in Engineering News (Dec 23, 1915) that he was open for business under the Business Research Service banner.
Formed Business Research & Development Company (with partners)
Two years after his graduation (circa 1916) Booz and two partners formed the Business Research and Development Company to conduct studies for commercial and trade organizations.
Drafted into U.S. Army (World War I)
Booz's business was briefly put on hold while he served in the U.S. Army (1917-1919), working in personnel and bureau reorganization under Walter Dill Scott.
Married Helen Hootman Booz
Edwin G. Booz married Helen Hootman Booz (marriage year listed as 1918). They had two children.
Left Army as Major; returned to civilian consulting
Booz left military service in March 1919 as a major in the Inspector General's Office and returned to Chicago to resume consulting and start Edwin G. Booz, Business Engineering Service (new firm name).
Early major clients secured
Early clients for Booz's firm included Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Chicago's Union Stockyards & Transit Company, Canadian Pacific Railroad, Walgreen, Harris Trust & Savings Bank and Northwestern University.
Fraternity tribute published
Edwin Booz's fraternity published a tribute to him in its 20th-anniversary newsletter (1923).
Firm renamed Business Surveys
To better reflect its focus on studies and analysis, Booz changed the firm's name to Business Surveys in 1924 and emphasized personnel-oriented, applied-psychology approaches.
Hired first full-time assistant, George Fry
George Fry, another Northwestern alumnus, was hired as Booz's first permanent full-time assistant; U.S. Gypsum became a major client.
Hired James L. Allen; moved office to Chicago Daily News Building
In 1929 James L. Allen joined the firm and Booz moved his office into the new Chicago Daily News Building; the firm continued to grow its client base.
Conducted study of American National Red Cross
Booz personally conducted the firm's first-ever nationwide institutional study for the American National Red Cross, expanding the firm's institutional consulting work.
Carl Hamilton joined the firm
Carl Hamilton, a marketing specialist from Weyerhaeuser, joined the firm as a partner (mid-1930s), adding business and marketing expertise.
Firm reorganized as partnership Booz, Fry, Allen & Hamilton
After helping Montgomery Ward recover, Booz persuaded James Allen to return and reorganized the company into a partnership named Booz, Fry, Allen & Hamilton in early 1936.
Moved into the Field Building (Chicago)
The firm moved into the new Field Building in Chicago (late 1930s) where it remained for decades.
Major engagement: Montgomery Ward turnaround
The firm took on a large assignment to improve Montgomery Ward's management and operations (1938), which was a marquee client project.
Hired by U.S. Navy to assess preparedness
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox engaged Booz's firm to evaluate Navy preparedness, shipyards, telephone systems and intelligence operations — the firm's entry into military consulting.
Internal partner friction; George Fry resigned
The firm's growing government work caused internal friction; George Fry resigned in December 1942 to start his own consulting business; James Allen briefly departed and then returned to help reorganize the firm.
Newsweek article cites Booz's Navy work; appointed special assistant
Newsweek (Oct 5, 1942) described Booz's role; Edwin Booz was described as a specially appointed assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, leading internal reorganization and phone/mail system improvements.
Postwar scale: nearly 400 clients; multiple offices
By the end of WWII the firm served nearly 400 clients nationwide with offices in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
Partial retirement from the firm
Edwin G. Booz partially retired from active involvement in the firm in 1946 (sources differ on exact timing of full retirement).
Carl Hamilton died; James L. Allen became chairman
Partner Carl Hamilton died in 1946; James L. Allen became chairman of the firm following Hamilton's death.
Reported full retirement from firm
Sources state Booz retired from the firm in 1947, leaving Allen to lead the firm's governing board (some sources indicate partial retirement occurred in 1946).
Air Force contract: guided missile production study
Booz Allen received a 1947 Air Force contract to conduct the government's original production management study on guided missiles — beginning Wright Field assignments (1949–1955).
Died of a stroke in Evanston, Illinois
Edwin G. Booz died October 1, 1951 of a stroke in Evanston, Illinois.
Booz Allen's first international contract (Philippines)
The firm (post-Booz) landed its first international contract in 1953 to study and reorganize land-ownership records for the newly established Philippine government.
Formation of Booz Allen Applied Research, Inc. (BAARINC)
A group of partners formed BAARINC as a separate corporate entity in 1955 to pursue guided-missile and intelligence-related work.
TIME calls Booz Allen 'world's largest, most prestigious management consultant firm'
By the close of the 1950s, TIME magazine praised the firm as the world's largest, most prestigious management consulting firm.
Firm incorporated as a private corporation
To implement profit-sharing and retirement plans, Booz Allen became a private corporation in 1962; the legal partnership was dissolved though the term 'partner' remained in use.
Firm revenues ~$55M; largest U.S. consulting firm
By 1969 Booz Allen had more than 15 major/project offices on five continents, generating annual revenues of roughly $55 million and earnings of ~$3.5 million.
Booz Allen went public
In January 1970 the firm completed a public offering to gain acquisition currency and diversify (followed the public listing trend of other consultancies).
Firm taken private in buyout (paid $7.75 per share to outside shareholders)
After buying back stock for years, Booz Allen again became private in 1976 via a buyout that paid outside shareholders $7.75 a share.
Annual revenues reached ~$180M
By 1980 the firm had grown to roughly $180 million in annual revenues, reflecting rapid expansion over the prior decade.
Acquisition of Advanced Decision Systems assets (AI)
Booz Allen acquired major assets of Advanced Decision Systems in 1991 to build an artificial intelligence division.
Led privatization strategy for former Soviet states
Booz Allen was hired by USAID in 1993 to devise a privatization strategy and to lead a consortium for privatizing industries in 11 newly independent states.
Key Achievement Ages
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