R. G. LeTourneau

Robert Gilmour LeTourneau (; November 30, 1888 – June 1, 1969) was an American business magnate, inventor, and philanthropist who was the prolific inventor of technologies related to earthmoving machinery and the founder of LeTourneau Technologies and LeTourneau University. Its manufacturing and offshore drilling assets were sold in 1970 to Marathon Manufacturing Co., to become Marathon LeTourneau Co. (the assets of which became and remain divided between various manufacturing and rig-technology companies). to a farming family living in Richford, Vermont. He moved with them to Duluth, Minnesota, and then to Portland, Oregon, where he attended school through high school, dropping out at the age of 14 to take on an apprenticeship as an ironworker, at the East Portland Iron Works.

In 1909 he took an automobile correspondence course granting himself a "Bachelor of Motorcycles" as he learned about vehicle mechanics and graduated by taking apart and putting back together his newly acquired motorcycle in a day. After working on a project to build a bridge across the Stanislaus River, and seeing first hand the Fresno scraper, he was anxious to put to use his mechanical skills.

As described in the 2007 company biography, "n 1911, LeTourneau was employed at the Superior Garage in Stockton, California, where he learned about vehicle mechanics and later became half-owner of the business." In 1958, at the age of seventy, LeTourneau re-entered the earthmoving equipment manufacturing business, offering contractors a range of high capacity earthmoving, transportation, and material handling machines. These were based on his recently developed electric wheel drive (wheel hub motor).

In 1966, at age 77, LeTourneau handed over leadership of the work and assets of the remaining company, LeTourneau Technologies, to his son, Richard LeTourneau. the last of which was acquired by and renamed to Komatsu Mining Corp. That company's assets—electric wheel and oil rig technologies— became and remain divided between various manufacturing and rig-technology companies.

Contributions R. G. LeTourneau was largely responsible for the invention and development of many types of earthmoving machines manufactured by his company and now widely used. He is credited with: introduction of land scraper equipment with a single person-operated power control unit, allowing it, in combination, to load, haul, dump, and spread earth; and the development of low-pressure, heavy-duty rubber tires; as well as the concepts related to and used in mobile offshore drilling platforms.

Outside of business Several of R.G.'s original machines are on display on the LeTourneau University campus.

With the help of his wife, the late Evelyn Peterson (1900-1987), he founded LeTourneau University, a private, Christian institution, in Longview, Texas. LeTourneau was widely known as a devout Christian and generous philanthropist to Christian causes, including the "LeTourneau Christian Center" camp and conference grounds in Rushville, New York, and Georgia Baptist Conference Center in Toccoa, Georgia.

Personal pursuits

Signature of R. G. Letourneau, citing Matthew 6:33, a Bible verse that was foundational to his life

As described in his 2007 company biography, "n 1917, [R.G.] married Evelyn Peterson, the daughter of a draying company owner from Minnesota."

LeTourneau held many respected positions throughout his life as a Christian layman, including as a leader in the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, of Christian Business Men's Connection International, (CBMC, then the Christian Business Men's Committee International), and of the Gideons International. For 30 years he flew thousands of miles each week to maintain Christian speaking engagements around the United States and overseas.

LeTourneau set aside 90 percent of his salary and company profits for religious donations, living on the other 10 percent. He once stated that "I shovel out the money, and God shovels it back – but God has a bigger shovel". "You have made the word of God a glorious, practical reality," radio program host Robert Ripley told LeTourneau, then turned to the audience with his own trademark flourish. "And of such is the work of faith...believe it or not."

LeTourneau was a firm believer in the effectiveness of practical instruction combined with classroom studies; and, in 1946, he purchased an unused military hospital, accompanying land and buildings in Longview. There he established the LeTourneau Technical Institute at the site of the former Harmon General Hospital to provide sound technical and mechanical training, traditional college courses, and training for missionary technicians, based on the philosophy of combining work, education, and Christian testimony. The LeTourneau Technical Institute became a college in its own right, in 1961, and eventually gained "university" status to become LeTourneau University.

In 1953, LeTourneau began a development project in the country of Liberia, West Africa, with the diverse goals of colonization, land development, agricultural development, livestock introduction, evangelism and philanthropic activities.

Death Graves of R.G. and Evelyn Peterson LeTourneau on the LeTourneau University campus in Longview, Texas Matthew 6:33, inscribed at the foot of R.G. LeTourneau's grave

In March 1969, LeTourneau suffered a severe stroke from which he never recovered. He died on June 1, 1969, at the age of eighty. Few manufacturers of that era had such a profound effect upon the art of earthmoving as did LeTourneau. Just two years prior to his death, LeTourneau recorded his thoughts about the future of earthmoving equipment:Construction machinery will grow bigger and bigger, and more and more powerful. Instead of 'tons' of capacity, they'll be in 'hundreds of tons', and instead of hundreds of horsepower, they'll all be rated in 'thousands of horsepower' ... We're already seeing it in big hauling units in the mines, and believe me, when the contractor and mining companies start looking for bigger and more profitable hauling units and earthmoving equipment, I'm going to be right there, the firstest with the mostest.

LeTourneau was active in his company as president and chairman of the board from 1929 until 1966. He also held the position of chief engineer, personally working alongside his engineers and employees throughout his working life. Having spent his entire life around earthmoving equipment, LeTourneau, by description of those close to him, was just as likely to be seen at the controls of one of his machines as attending to corporate matters; he preferred the former. Toccoa Airport, also known as R. G. LeTourneau Field, was built by LeTourneau and named in his honor.

Throughout his career, he was the recipient of more than 30 awards and honors related to engineering, manufacturing, and the development of heavy equipment. In 1936, he was presented with the "Appreciation of Service Achievement 1931-1935," by Six Companies Incorporated for supplying earthmoving equipment to the "Boulder Dam" project. He was awarded the Frank P. Brown Medal in 1956. Recognition of service to the earthmoving industry later came from many other contractors in the industry, and, in February 1958, LeTourneau was presented with the "Beavers Award" by the Beavers, an association of leaders in the heavy construction industry. In presenting the award to LeTourneau, Beavers president George H. Atkinson, of the Guy F. Atkinson Company, a San Francisco contractor, said, "There is hardly any place in the vast industry that has not benefited through the products of Mr. LeTourneau's inventive genius."