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USC alumnus John E. Swearingen's recently published memoirs, Think Ahead: A Memoir, recounts his experiences working at Standard Oil Co. in Indiana (now BP-Amoco Corp.) and at Continental Illinois Bank.
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| John Swearingen |
The University held a launch to celebrate the book's publication May 21 in the South Caroliniana Library.
Swearingen, a native of Columbia, earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from USC in 1938. He earned his master's degree from Carnegie-Mellon the next year and immediately began working at Standard Oil, where he became CEO and held the title for 34 years.
Under Swearingen's leadership, the company became one of the leading drillers of oil and gas wells. Swearingen expanded Standard's domestic and foreign exploration and production, refining, and marketing activities and turned the once small, underperforming company into an international oil giant.
Upon his retirement in 1983, Swearingen was asked by the FDIC to take over as CEO of the floundering Continental Illinois Bank. He stayed with the bank for three years and turned it around by the time he left.
Swearingen also has received honorary degrees from 15 colleges and universities and is a member of organizations such as the National Academy of Engineering and the National Business Hall of Fame. USC's Swearingen Engineering Center is named in his honor.
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