subject: About Bernard Baruch [print this page] Bernard Baruch is the name of an American who became known as the "Adviser to Presidents." After he had made a fortune in business, he offered his services to seven different presidents, from Woodrow Wilson to Dwight Eisenhower, and he never wanted to be paid for the work he did. He was born in 1870, in Camden, South Carolina, the son of a noted physician, Simon Baruch. Bernard Baruch was educated at the College of the City of New York, and then became a trader in stocks and bonds and an official of many business companies.
When World War I came, Baruch's great experience in business and production was useful to the government. He was appointed to serve on the Commission of National Defense, and in 1918 he became chairman of the War Industries Board. He was responsible for seeing that all the supplies that were needed during the war were produced in time. When World War II broke out 23 years later, Baruch once again offered his services. He advised the government on how to organize the industries of the United States for war production. Bernard Baruch later became a member of the United States delegation to the United Nations Commission on Atomic Energy. Bernard Baruch is oft-remembered for his many thoughtful and humorous quotations, many of which are usually misattributed. Mr. Baruch was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1997. His years of experience, and his many valuable contributions to the welfare of his country, earned him the respectful title of the "Elder Statesman."
