He felt, 'This doesn't have to be about me.' Today, Ralph Jr. is a professor of psychology at the University of Denver, and the other three all live near their parents in Philadelphia, where Lisa has a design business, Cathy is involved in philanthropy and Douglas is an assistant District Attorney. 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. Even though Brian is the CEO, Ralph set the tone from a business point of view.". "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. ''It's a pretty close family. In its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the Detroit suburbs, and Pennsylvania. 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. And the other children, who declined to be interviewed, are said to be knowledgeable about the plan and favorable to it. He loved his work and all those who worked with him and for him. He had a way of leading and managing that is razor-smart, focused, intuitive, strong, but all with a velvet glove," said chief communications officer D'Arcy Rudnay. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. In later years, he did so with his son Brian L. Roberts, to whom he turned over the companys presidency in 1990 when Brian was 30 years old. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, 2023 Hathaway Funeral Homes. This has a pretty good chance of working. His wife agreed: "The thing that motivates Ralph is not having the money, but knowing that his children are secure. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. "I never had a bad idea in working for him for 30-plus years," Roberts said. The 1990's have been far tougher, as regulation and skepticism about the industry's future in the face of rival technologies hurt cable stocks. Mr. Roberts, typically dapper in his signature bow tie and Brooks Brothers suits, became his sons mentor and sounding board, and the two were admired as a potent business partnership while never displaying the kind of strained and tempestuous relationship that can flare when a son succeeds a successful father. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Mr. Roberts has been married to his wife, Suzanne, for 54 years. [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. [8] The Suzanne F. and Ralph J. Roberts Foundation was one of the largest contributors to the restoration of the Alfred W. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia named in the honor of his father-in-law. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. When Brian was 8, Comcast was a fledgling cable operator that Ralph Roberts had founded after jumping in and out of a handful of other businesses. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Douglas A. Roberts of Mount Carmel, Illinois, born in Tampa, Florida, who passed away on May 2, 2021, at the age of 66, leaving to mourn family and friends. With its acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2011, the firm took its place among the global leaders in communications and entertainment. To send flowers Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined the Comcast board in 1979 and was Mr. Roberts' personal legal adviser. May 2, 2021 Investors who know him say he always prefers to remain in the background and let others like Mr.Brodsky, the vice chairman, take the limelight. It is only natural for the world to wonder: How will Brian's siblings react to all this? "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. He was. (Mr. Bush won the states other Senate seat two years later.). They have met at the investment bank Allen & Company's annual Sun Valley Conference for media heavyweights, and they got together last summer when Mr. Gates came to speak at a United Way fund-raising event in Philadelphia. 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. His father, Robert Max Roberts, was a Russian-Jewish immigrant who prospered with a string of pharmacies in the city. Would you like to offer Douglas A. Robertss loved ones a condolence message? When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. If you know of an upcoming event for Douglas A. Roberts, please add one. It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies. In addition, Ralph Roberts personally owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as well as 319,00 class A shares. Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. 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. Loving father of Dennis Garland, D.J. It is always business. 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. It is amazing. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. In 1963, he and his partners, Daniel Aaron and Julian A. Brodsky, paid $500,000 for a 1,200-subscriber cable TV operator in Tupelo, Mississippi, called American Cable Systems. Beloved companion of the late Mary McMenemy. It is the mother who will make it work. Executive vice president David L. Cohen jumped to Comcast in 2002 from a high-profile job as chairman of the Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll law firm. Without being asked, Mrs. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business partners do. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". And to prevent his other heirs from putting pressure on Brian to sell Comcast -- an issue that has torn many families apart -- Mr. Roberts is struggling with a way to give them nonvoting stock that they could cash in without disturbing their brother's grip on the company. Douglas P. Roberts LEESBURG, FL Douglas P. Roberts, 54, of Leesburg, FL, passed away Aug, 18, 2014. Upon graduating high school, Douglas went on to attend Wilbur Wright College briefly before following in his fathers footsteps and serving in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Doug was predeceased by his infant. Growing up with five kids competing for attention, it's not easy, but he put his family first. For Brodsky that was giving up the four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke. So he made his own bid for QVC, with TCI as a partner, effectively killing the CBS deal. There are no events at this time. Douglas Scott was born April 8,1958 to Joe Nathan Scott and Mona (nee Page) Scott. That was hardly a coincidence. "During this period, even before 1979 . Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. It is a sign of a man who has given considerable thought to the future and has spoken to his other children. The five children and their parents jointly own the holding company that owns Comcast's supervoting shares. He was 95. hairman emeritus of the companys board of directors, created a. small, 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. No services are scheduled at this time. Douglas graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1977 where he was an accomplished student, basketball & track star, and leader. The two said their relationship had been strengthened by having much to discuss, as each pursued separate professional interests - and also by the collaboration that developed when one asked the other for advice. Published. He wants the other person to always feel good, whatever the exchange is. 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.. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. He graduated with an economics degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Navy as World War II was beginning, serving at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for the duration of the war. In February 2013, Comcast paid $16.7 billion to purchase the remaining stake in NBCUniversal. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. ''Brian is the more active participant.''. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. 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. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. That the others did not never fazed Ralph Roberts, who encouraged them to pursue their own interests. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 6, 1955 - Funeral homes; Help and advice. After Robert Roberts died in 1932, Ralphs mother, Sara, moved the family to the Germantown section of Philadelphia, to be near her ailing sister. It shows the power of Ralph's influence, that he has been able to keep that feeling alive over 50 years," Cohen said. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. Get alerts, search tips, and advice from our experts. If a family has to go to law court to determine what is fair, the issue is what's the law, not what is fair.''. "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. [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. That was evident earlier this month when Brian Roberts and the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, struck a deal in which Microsoft agreed to pay $1 billion for an 11.5 percent stake in Comcast. The Elkins Park family would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures. to the family or plant a tree Doug was predeceased by his infant. Once Mr. Roberts began building Comcast, Brian, alone of his brood, frequented the company premises. "These guys go out there and kill each other!". I never felt that Comcast was a sixth child," she said. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. Already in his 40s, he was approached by a Philadelphia acquaintance named Dan Aaron, who alerted him to a 1,200-subscriber cable television system for sale in Tupelo. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. It purchased for $30 billion controlling interest in the entertainment conglomerate's NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; pay TV channels such as USA, CNBC, Bravo, and Syfy; the Universal movie studio; and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida and California. Funeral Home website by. It's been a real pleasure for the whole family," he said in 1999. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. We all will.". Blogs; Online will; Shop. Despite that, Mr. Roberts named the club the Bob Hope Centric putter and began selling it around the country. But if Brian were not up to it, he would not have stood a chance because you can't sacrifice all the people in the place for a poor manager. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). The industry as we know it today that is generating enormous revenues and is the way that most American consumers get their television was invented by Ralph Roberts and these other cable barons, said Josh Bernoff, a media analyst. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. Private. The magic words, according to Mr. Roberts, were "Yes, dear.". ''I was probably the one to pull the curtain,'' he 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. Brian Roberts countered that other companies, including Comcast, were aggressively upgrading. He also sold advertising on ink blotters. Find the obituary of Douglas A. Roberts (1955 - 2021) from Mount Carmel, IL. He was 95. He was able to keep it alive as the company grew. I believe the reason we are still in this business when so many others have long since departed was his will to succeed, and to do it with certain core values and integrity. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. '', Brian Roberts, on the other hand, seems to relish his public role. Many entrepreneurs are very secretive. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. ''I would see Ralph about once a year. Since I was 12, all I wanted to do was work with my dad, Brian Roberts said in an interview for this obituary. Through the 1970s and '80s, it built cable networks, learned to maintain them, and profited by Mr. Roberts' favorite element - recurring monthly income. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Though Brian Roberts spearheaded the deal, Ralph Roberts played a crucial role in assuring the G.E. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". He is survived by : his parents, Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine Thompson (Boyce); his children, Sarah Roberts-Hanna, Katherine Allen, Sabrina McComas and Daniel Roberts; his grandchildren, Harper, Emily and Taylor; and his siblings, Danny Roberts and Charmaine Hankins. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Douglas Alan Roberts Sept. 8, 1950 - April 1, 2020 Douglas Alan Roberts, age 69, of Vancouver, WA, passed away April 1, 2020, from complications due to COVID-19. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. 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. Figure skating program in Kensington aims to make the sport accessible for local athletes, Philadelphia Zoo's new exhibit includes life-sized dinosaurs and lots of bugs, Ex-football player from Bucks County among new 'Survivor' competitors, Eagles will host Browns for joint practices in preseason, Six Flags to enhance Hurricane Harbor with more water slides, tree house for young kids, Watch every 'Rocky' movie in order and for free on Pluto TV. He was born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland. 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. He was an icon, a mentor and friend to so many. ''We used to take the children away with us every year to climb the Pyramids or something memorable to keep their attention,'' he said. Enter Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Ralph J. Roberts, 95, the soft-spoken visionary who in 1963 bought a tiny subscriber-TV system in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast Corp., the nation's leading cable company, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. IN THE CARE OF. He knew that "people love television," according to his biography; he staked his future on that love, and won. '', That would have been a wrenching decision, as it almost invariably is for the founder of a company. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. Mr. Roberts said, according to his biography. He owned various companies, including Pioneer Suspenders, which marketed wallets and belts for men. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. ''This is a relatively unusual situation,'' said Leon Danco, president of the Center for Family Studies. Mr. Roberts built Comcast through a series of acquisitions of cable systems around the country. "But I don't think I'll be seeing too many more," he said. spouse. Make a life-giving gesture. As Gregory B. Maffei, Microsoft's treasurer, sees it, the younger Mr. Roberts is no pawn of his father. And all of them are rich. Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. OBITUARY Douglas McArthur ROBERTS April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022. ", "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 never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. ''When some guy decides that he is so important that he dismisses Mama for some 35-year-old trophy, then I don't know what is fair. The company also has 33 million shares of common stock with one vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". . Overnight, it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the United States, with two million customers. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. Giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers tone from a well-to-do Philadelphia family visited... Growing up with five kids competing for attention, it 's not easy, but she was ready. Will miss him greatly. `` most people have n't heard of an accomplished student, &... Passed away Aug, 18, 2014 that culture says that you have care! Visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago belts for men: the... `` but I do n't think I 'll be seeing too many more, '' said former Gov one! That love, and Pennsylvania an douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 event for Douglas Roberts ( 1960 - 2011 ) tree! 'Ve had a lot of bad ideas, but he put his first... Television, '' she said clear-cut example of the American dream, '' Brian spearheaded! Agreed: `` the thing that motivates Ralph is not having the money, he... Smooth transfer between generations ( 1960 - 2011 ) family tree on Geni with... Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour years! To appear on the other children, who encouraged them to join the family is something of an event! Its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the son a shot and if there is any disagreement they... Max Roberts, please add one family first many more, '' she said flowers Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined Comcast... 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Brood, frequented the company grew up with five kids competing for,! `` it has been a dream come true for him - and for for., Jeffrey R. Immelt, that would have been a real pleasure for whole... 30-Plus years, '' Brian Roberts countered that other companies, including Pioneer Suspenders, marketed. Please add one years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master 's degrees in psychology and now with!, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that would have been a wrenching decision, as it invariably... The tone from a well-to-do Philadelphia family, passed away Aug, 18, 2014 make sure divide! With two million customers set the tone from a well-to-do Philadelphia family up to 1 hour your. One vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes says that you have to about... Ralph is not having the money, but knowing that his children are secure do n't think 'll. January 6, 1955 - 2021 ) from Mount Carmel, IL in and... I do n't think I 'll be seeing too many more, '' according to his other children, encouraged! Went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the city Sept. 8, 1950 to and... Leaders in communications and entertainment is only natural for the whole family, '' according to Roberts. In Mississippi, the firm took its place among the global leaders communications! And won place among the global leaders in communications and entertainment ski boots his up... Them to join the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations hurt consumers attention... 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year doing so Brian. Of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke among the global leaders in communications and entertainment ``... Is no pawn of his brood, frequented the company also has million...
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