In Memory: Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. ’43 By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer
A pillar of the Virginia business community, active citizen, Gottwald was a director of numerous other corporations, inphilanthropist, and loyal alumnus who selflessly served the cluding CSX and Reid-Provident Laboratories, and of several Institute as well as gave generously in its support, Floyd D. professional organizations such as the American Petroleum Gottwald Jr. ’43 died Jan. 27, 2022. He was 99. Institute, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, and the As a cadet—known as “Billy” to his brother rats—Gottwald National Association of Manufacturers. He was a member was a member of the staff of The Cadet and the American of The Conference Board and the Virginia Business Council Chemical Society. He also was a keen equestrian who was a and the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. member of both VMI’s Hunt Club and Horse Show Team. An active citizen, Gottwald served on the boards of the After graduating from VMI with a Bachelor of Science University of Richmond and the College of William & Mary degree in chemistry, he attended the Army’s Officer Candias well as the Council for Financial Aid to Education. He date School at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was commissioned also was a member of the board of the George C. Marshall in the cavalry. Along with his Brother Rat Jeffrey G. Smith, Research Foundation and Downtown Development UnlimGottwald joined the 124th Cavalry Regiment, the last Army Gottwald Jr. ’43 ited of Richmond and served as the president of the Virginia unit to retain horses, in early 1944. The regiment soon moved Museum of Fine Arts. to Fort Riley, was officially “unhorsed” in July 1944, and shipped to India, Gottwald received wide recognition for his accomplishments and leaderarriving in August 1944. ship in business and his civic involvement. The graduate school of business After being joined by a field artillery battalion and receiving extensive at the College of William & Mary presented him its Medallion Award, training in jungle warfare and long-range penetration operations, the regi- and the University of Richmond named him a Doctor of Commercial ment became part of the 5332nd Brigade (Provisional), also known as the Science. He received honorary doctorates from Virginia Commonwealth Mars Task Force. The brigade’s other units included the 475th Infantry University, Virginia Union University, and the College of William & Mary. Regiment, the successor to Merrill’s Marauders, and the elite 1st Chinese In 1996, the University of Richmond presented him with its Trustees’ Regiment (Separate). Distinguished Service Award, and the Science Museum of Virginia named Given the mission of clearing northern Burma of Japanese forces and him its Outstanding Industrialist. He was elected to the Greater Richmond reopening the Burma Road to China, the task force moved more than 300 Business Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2017, the Virginia General Assembly miles behind Japanese lines. Resupplied only by air, its march was made honored his many contributions to the Commonwealth by presenting him over steep, jungle-covered mountains veined by swift streams and in weather with the Outstanding Virginian Award. characterized by steamy hot days, cold nights, and heavy rains. In mid-JanThomas G. Slater Jr. ’66, a prominent attorney and former president of uary, near Nampakka, Burma, the task force met Japanese forces in battle. the VMI Board of Visitors, served on the board of the Tredegar CorporaOn Feb. 2, 1945, Gottwald’s Troop F assaulted a Japanese position near tion for more than 10 years. Slater remembers Gottwald as “low key and Loi Kang. The troop commander, 1st Lt. Jack L. Knight, singlehandedly understated, but when he spoke, people always listened.” Slater attributed knocked out five Japanese pill boxes, despite being wounded twice by Japa- that to “his [Gottwald’s] record as a highly successful leader of Ethyl nese grenades. Leading his men forward after his second wound, Knight was Corporation, which he and his brother built into a multibillion-dollar shot and soon died in the arms of Gottwald, himself wounded later in the conglomerate. It earned him the highest respect and credibility.” action. For his valor, Knight received the Medal of Honor, the only member Charles F. Bryan Jr. ’69, Ph.D., who was the chief executive officer and of the Army Ground Forces in the China-Burma-India theatre to do so. president of the Virginia Historical Society from 1988 to 2008, rememGottwald left service in 1946 in the grade of first lieutenant and received bered Gottwald as “a great supporter of the arts and culture, especially the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V and the Purple Heart. the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.” Bryan recounted an example of After the war, Gottwald joined Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company Gottwald’s interest in art and history. “In the 1990s, a man contacted us as a chemist. In 1951, he received a Master of Science degree in chemistry about a collection of Civil War drawings in three large-format books. They from the University of Richmond. were the most amazing watercolors, executed by the man’s ancestor who After the merger of Ethyl Corporation and Albemarle in 1962, Gottwald was a Union soldier who served in Virginia.” became Ethyl’s executive vice president. Two years later, he became the vice The man offered the collection for sale, and he and Bryan arrived at a chairman of the board of Ethyl Corporation, serving in that capacity until six-figure price. One problem: The Society had just concluded a fundraising 1968. In 1970, he became the corporation’s chief executive officer and held campaign, and all its major donors had participated. Knowing Gottwald’s that position until 1992. philanthropic interests, Bryan asked him to examine the art and, perhaps, After a reorganization of Ethyl, Gottwald was the chairman and chief fund the purchase. executive officer of Albemarle Corporation, a chemical production com“Mr. Gottwald was a very quiet man, a man of few words. He was pany now headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1994 to 2001 never cold to people, but he wasn’t talkative,” remembered Bryan. As and its chief executive officer from 2001 to 2002. From October 2002 until he examined the books, he remained true to character. “He was so quiet April 2007, Gottwald was Albemarle’s vice chairman. From 2007 until I thought, ‘This is not going well.’” Then, he paused on a certain page his death, Gottwald was chairman emeritus. He served on the board of and, pointing to a house in the image, said, “See this? That’s my greatTredegar Corporation from 1989-2005. grandfather’s house.” He then asked Bryan, “How much?” Bryan quoted
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