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Bertie Charles Forbes

1880 – 1954

American financial journalist, founder of Forbes Magazine

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About Bertie Charles Forbes

Lived 1880 – 1954 (aged 73). Bertie Charles Forbes was an American journalist, entrepreneur, writer, editor and publisher.

Bertie Charles Forbes (; May 14, 1880 – May 6, 1954) was a Scottish-American financial journalist and author who founded Forbes magazine.

In 1904, he immigrated to New York City where he was employed as a writer and financial editor at the Journal of Commerce before joining the Hearst chain of newspapers as a syndicated columnist in 1911. After two years, he became the business and financial editor at Hearst's New York American, where he remained until 1916.

He founded Forbes magazine in 1917 and remained the magazine's editor-in-chief until his death in New York City in 1954, though he was assisted in his later years by his two eldest sons, Bruce Charles Forbes and Malcolm Stevenson Forbes.

Forbes was the founder of the Investors League in 1942.

Family The Forbes family includes a number of related people that founded, and have worked for, Forbes magazine. The family has close ties to Princeton University, with their namesake Forbes College as one of Princeton's residential colleges. Noted members include: Bertie Charles Forbes, a.k.a. B.C. Forbes (1880–1954), the founder of the magazine Bruce Charles Forbes (1916–1964), eldest son of B.C. Forbes Malcolm Stevenson Forbes (1919–1990), son and successor of B.C. Forbes Steve Forbes a.k.a. Malcolm Forbes Jr. (b. 1947), son of Malcolm Forbes, current editor-in-chief and former chairman, president, and CEO of the company Moira Forbes (b. 1979), daughter of Steve Forbes Christopher Forbes (b. 1950), son of Malcolm Forbes, former Vice Chairman and a Vice Chancellor of the American Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Robert Laidlaw Forbes, son of Malcolm Forbes Tim Forbes, son of Malcolm Forbes and former president and chief operating officer Moira Hamilton, daughter of Malcolm Forbes

Death He died on May 6, 1954. In 1988, his body was returned to his native Scotland, and lies buried in the New Deer Churchyard at Hill of Culsh in New Deer, Aberdeenshire. While living abroad, he returned to Buchan every two years, staying in the Cruden Bay Hotel, "to entertain people of Whitehill to a picnic". It was a tradition revived by his son, Malcolm, in 1987.

Published works Forbes authored nine books:

Finance, Business and the Business of Life (1915) Men Who Are Making America (1917) Keys to Success or Personal Efficiency (1918) Forbes Epigrams (1922) Men Who are Making the West (1923) Automotive Giants of America (1925) How to Get the Most Out of Business (1927) 101 Unusual Experiences (1952) America's Twelve Master Salesmen (1952)

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of St Andrews
Also known as
B. C. Forbes

People in Bertie Charles Forbes's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bertie Charles Forbes's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bertie Charles Forbes?

American financial journalist, founder of Forbes Magazine (1880–1954)

When was Bertie Charles Forbes born?

Bertie Charles Forbes was born on 14 May 1880 in New Deer.

When did Bertie Charles Forbes die?

Bertie Charles Forbes died on 6 May 1954 in New York City.

What was Bertie Charles Forbes's occupation?

Bertie Charles Forbes was a journalist, entrepreneur, writer, editor and publisher.

What nationality was Bertie Charles Forbes?

Bertie Charles Forbes was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bertie Charles Forbes

· Wikidata: Q718435

· DBpedia: B. C. Forbes

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bertie Charles Forbes. https://biography.guide/bertie-charles-forbes/

MLA: "Bertie Charles Forbes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bertie-charles-forbes/.

Chicago: "Bertie Charles Forbes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bertie-charles-forbes/.

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