Henry Salvatori (March 28, 1901 – July 6, 1997) was an American geophysicist, businessman, philanthropist, and political activist. Salvatori founded Western Geophysical in 1933 and, after selling the company in 1960, pursued a second career as a philanthropist and conservative political activist. He was a long-time financial supporter of the

Heritage Foundation The Heritage Foundation (abbreviated to Heritage) is an American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. that is primarily geared toward public policy. The foundation took a leading role in the conservative movement during the preside ...

and the

Claremont Institute The Claremont Institute is a conservative think tank based in Upland, California. The institute was founded in 1979 by four students of Harry V. Jaffa. It produces the ''Claremont Review of Books,'' ''The American Mind'', and other publications. ...

, both conservative

think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...

Background and business career

Salvatori was born in

Tocco da Casauria Tocco da Casauria is a ''comune'' and town in the Province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Central Italy. The centre was known for centuries as simply Tocco, and the name "da Casauria" was added only after 1861. It rises on a hill between the ...

, Abruzzo, Italy, and emigrated with his family to the United States in 1908. He earned a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

in 1923 and a master's degree in

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in 1926. In 1930, he joined Geophysical Service Incorporated, but he left in 1933 to found Western Geophysical. Western Geophysical prospered, allowing him to begin a long involvement in philanthropy and conservative political causes. In 1960, he sold Western Geophysical to

Litton Industries Litton Industries was a large defense contractor in the United States named after inventor Charles Litton Sr. During the 1960s, the company began acquiring many unrelated firms and became one of the largest conglomerates in the United States. A ...

, allowing him to devote more time to politics.

Philanthropy and activism

Having already been a founding stockholder of ''

National Review ''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by the author William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief ...

'' magazine in the 1950s, Salvatori pursued a second career as a philanthropist and conservative political activist after selling Western Geophysical in 1960. In 1962, he convinced the staunchly

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

Joe Shell, Richard M. Nixon's intraparty rival for governor, to endorse Nixon in the general election to promote party unity. Nixon, however, lost to the Democrat Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr. In 1964, Salvatori chaired Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign in California. He convinced Goldwater to allow Ronald Reagan to give a televised fundraising speech entitled " A Time for Choosing", the speech that launched Reagan's political career. Later, he was one of Reagan's initial supporters for governor of California, having served as state finance chairman for his 1966 campaign and as part of Reagan's "kitchen cabinet". Salvatori was the campaign director for

Sam Yorty Samuel William Yorty (October 1, 1909 – June 5, 1998) was an American radio host, attorney, and politician from Los Angeles, California. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the California State Assembly, ...

during Yorty's 1969 mayoral primary campaign against Tom Bradley. Salvatori and his wife, the former Grace Ford, also made significant contributions to civic and educational institutions, including the

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center, which is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt ...

, Claremont McKenna College, the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

, the

, Stanford University,

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and th ...

, and

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with ...

. In 1969, Salvatori founded The Henry Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World at Claremont McKenna College. In 1990 he established the Henry Salvatori Foundation, which has, among other acts, endowed a chair (the Henry Salvatori Professorship in American Values and Traditions) at Chapman University. another chair (the "Henry Salvatori Professorship in Law & Community Service") at Chapman University School of Law, currently held by John Eastman. and endowed, in 1996, the Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship, awarded annually by the

Recognition

Salvatori was honoured by the Young America's Foundation, which created the Henry Salvatori Lecture Series in 1991.

Extended family

Salvatori's grandson Ford O'Connell is a Republican political activist, analyst, pundit and writer.USC News
Retrieved November 10, 2015.

References

External links

USC News: Trustee Henry Salvatori Dies at 96

L.A. Times: Henry Salvatori, GOP Kingmaker, Dies – Oil company founder was contributor to Republicans, confidant to three presidents.

*, libertyhaven.com. Retrieved April 27, 2014

SEG Virtual Museum. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
Salvatori bio
Claremont-McKenna College website. Retrieved April 27, 2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:Salvatori, Henry 1901 births 1997 deaths People from the Province of Pescara American political activists Businesspeople from California California Republicans The Heritage Foundation American people of Italian descent People from Greater Los Angeles Place of death missing 20th-century American businesspeople Activists from California 20th-century American philanthropists Italian emigrants to the United States