August Busch III

Infobox Person
name = August A. Busch III


image_size =
caption = President and CEO of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., 1974-2002
birth_date = birth date and age|1937|6|16
birth_place = flagicon|United States St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = World Brewing Executive
spouse = Susan Hornibrook, m. 1963, div. 1969
Virginia Lee Wiley, m. 1974
parents =August A. "Gussie" Busch, Jr.
children = August A. Busch IV, Susie Busch-Transou, Steven Busch, and Virginia "Ginny" Busch

August Anheuser Busch III (born June 16, 1937) is the great-grandson of Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch and was the company's Chairman until November 30, 2006. August Busch III is informally known as "Auggie" and as "The Third" or "Three Sticks" by subordinates and employees at Anheuser-Busch.

He is the father of the current President and CEO of Anheuser-Busch, August Busch IV.

Leadership at Anheuser-Busch

August Busch III served as President of the Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (ABC) from 1974 until June 2002, and Chief Executive Officer of ABC from 1975 until June 2002. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of ABC from 1977-2006.

He was succeeded as the head of day-to-day operational head of Anheuser-Busch by Patrick Stokes. Stokes' tenure marked the first time in the history of the company that a non-Busch family member ran the day to day operations. Busch also conferred the chairmanship to Stokes effective December 1, 2006. He retired from their executive functions at the company on November 30, 2006. The Third will continue to serve on Anheuser-Busch's board.

He has been a Director of AT&T Inc. since October 1983. He served as a Director of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company from 1980 to 1983. The CEO of SBC/AT&T, Ed Whitacre, simultaneously served on the board of A-B. They were joined on both boards by Charlie Knight, the CEO of Emerson Electric. Whitacre also served on the board of Emerson. Busch voted to approve $115 million of pay for Whitacre in a five year period. [ [http://www.forbes.com/static/execpay2005/LIRT9T4.html?passListId=12&passYear=2005&passListType=Person&uniqueId=T9T4&datatype=Person Edward E Whitacre Jr, CEO of SBC Communications (SBC), Earns $17.4 mil ] ] Augie is Chairman of the Anheuser-Busch Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and a member of the Corporate Development Committee and the Executive Committee.

As of 2007, Busch remains a Director of A-B headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri) and Emerson Electric Co.; and an Advisory Member of the Board of Directors of Grupo Modelo, S.A. de C.V.

Background

August Anheuser Busch III was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 16, 1937. He has been married twice. His first wife, Susan, is the mother of his two older children August Anheuser Busch IV and Susan Busch-Transou. His second wife, Virginia, who is a practicing attorney is the mother of his younger two children Steven Busch and Virginia "Ginny" Busch.

Unlike his father Gussie Busch, August III has been a lifelong supporter of the Republican Party, and a friend, ally, and financial supporter to Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and President George W. Bush. August III's eldest son, August A. Busch IV is a strong supporter of Democratic Party politics, just like his grandfather Gussie.

All four of his children are involved in the business functions of Anheuser-Busch to varying degrees: August IV is president and CEO of the Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.; Susie Busch-Transou and her husband, Tripp, own Tri-Eagle Sales, a distributorship near Tallahassee, Florida; Steven Busch was his father's executive assistant and now owns Krey Distributing Company in St. Peters, Missouri; Ginny Busch is employed by Busch Entertainment Company (BEC), working closely with A-B's SeaWorld and Busch Gardens family theme park businesses. Both August A. Busch III and August A. Busch Jr. were inducted into to the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of fame in 2005.

References