A glimpse of the savvy that built a global corporation from scratchHess: The Last Oil Baron profiles a titan of the oil industry, mapping the journey of the quintessential American dream. The story of Leon Hess follows an immigrant kosher butcher's son as he builds an oil dynasty that may never be matched. The multinational, multi-billion-dollar company began with a single second-hand delivery truck and the Rockefeller-caliber business acumen of one young man. Interviews with former employees, beneficiaries, and even his high school sweetheart provide an insider's perspective on the man behind the legacy, allowing today's aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from one of the nation's most inspiring success stories.
Leon Hess built a global empire from the ground up. Along the way, he fought in a war, did business with Muammar Qaddafi, won a Super Bowl as the owner of the Jets, was involved in Watergate, and introduced the Hess toy truck that became a holiday tradition for millions of Americans. More than just a book of business strategy,Hess tells the story of a life fascinatingly lived, and the legacy he left behind.
Discover the man behind the company, the Jets football team, and the iconic toy truckLearn how the actions of Leon Hess affected the modern push toward energy independenceStudy the strategy that turned a single-truck operation into a major integrated companyConsider the challenges Hess Corp. faces to its family legacy today, and the solutions being implemented
Leon Hess' strategies and techniques can be emulated and imitated, but his entrepreneurial fire is something altogether more rare.Hess provides readers with a glimpse of the man whose unrivaled ambition changed an industry and a nation.
TINA DAVIS is an editor forBloomberg News and has been writing about energy issues for almost two decades. She previously worked forThe Economist, theSunday Times of London, andThe Energy Daily.
JESSICA RESNICK-AULT is an editor forThomson Reuters and has been writing about energy for more than a decade. She previously worked forBloomberg News,Dow Jones Newswires, andThe Providence Journal.
Preface vii
Chapter 1: Hess Family 1
Chapter 2: Hess at War 29
Chapter 3: After the War 41
Chapter 4: Amerada 55
Chapter 5: Hess Abroad 71
Chapter 6: Hess in DC 89
Chapter 7: Hess, Refined 107
Chapter 8: When Youre a Jet 127
Chapter 9: The Hess Trucks Back 153
Chapter 10: Getting and Spending 163
Chapter 11: A New Hess 177
Chapter 12: Fight for Control 219
Chapter 13: The Last 245
Notes 253
References 263
Acknowledgments 271
About the Authors 273
Index 275
