William Ingraham Koch   [1940]

William I. Koch is one of the two younger sons of Fred C. Koch, the founder of the predecessor corporation, which has evolved into Koch Industries, one of the world’s largest privately owned corporations, with annual revenues over $100 billion. William’s twin brother is David H. Koch [1940], who currently is the co-owner of Koch Industries, and serves as its executive vice president. The other co-owner of Koch Industries is William’s older brother, Charles G. Koch [1935], who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer [CEO] of the company. William and his oldest brother, Frederick R. Koch [1932], are no longer involved with Koch Industries, having sold out their interests in the firm to their brothers, David and Charles.

The father of the four Koch brothers, Fred C. Koch, is the son of a Dutch immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1888, and settled in Quanah, Texas. He was a professional printer, and some time after coming over to the United States, he bought the local paper, and became the town’s printer and publisher. As a printer and publisher he apparently did fairly well and was able to send his son, Fred, to a private college, Rice University, in Houston, Texas. After several years at Rice, Fred decided to transfer to Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] to study chemical engineering. He earned his B. S. degree in chemical engineering from MIT. He then worked in the chemical and oil refining field for a while, and eventually started his own engineering firm, focusing on oil refining. That firm evolved into what today is Koch Industries.

William Koch, following the divestment of his interests in Koch Industries, founded the Oxbow Group, based in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Oxbow Group is a holding firm with about 30 companies, involved in producing electricity from alternative energy sources, coal and oil trading, oil production, composite pipe manufacturing and real estate development.

Koch was academically well prepared to enter and manage the above businesses. He graduated from MIT with a B. S. degree in chemical engineering in 1962, a M. S. degree in chemical engineering in 1963, and a doctorate of science degree in chemical engineering in 1971. William was not the only Koch to have studied chemical engineering at MIT. His father and two of his brothers, Charles and David, also held B. S. and/or M. S. degrees in chemical engineering from MIT.

William Koch’s major claim to national, and perhaps, international fame, was his financial support for the United States effort to win the America’s Cup, the international sailing title. Although not a professional sailor himself, Koch participated in the race as a crew member. Koch and his team won the 1992 America’s Cup with the “America”, defeating an Italian team four races to one. In that year’s sailing competition, the Koch’s “America” won 28 out 38 trial races. Koch reportedly spent $65 million of his own money to support the successful race attempt. Three years later, in 1995, he financed another team to compete for the cup. That year the crew consisted entirely of women, under the experienced tactician David Dellenbaugh. Unfortunately, that year’s attempt was not successful.

William Koch’s other interest is in art collecting. He owns a diverse collection of paintings and sculptures that include works by such famous artist as Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Modigliani, Picasso, Remington, Homer, Wood, and others. His collection has been shown at art museums in San Diego, California, Wichita, Kansas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Topeka, Kansas. Selected pieces of his selection of art have been on exhibit at the Louvre in Paris, Metropolitan Museum in New York City, National Gallery in Washington, D. C., and at other museums.

William Koch’s marital life has been complicated. He has been divorced twice and is currently married to Bridget Rooney, granddaughter of Art Rooney, founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. He has four children, Wyatt, Charlotte, William and Robin. Forbes magazine's October 2013 annual listing of billionaires, named William Koch as a member in their listing with wealth of about $3.8 billion dollars. His two brothers, Charles and David, were each listed at about $36 billion.

 

REFERENCES

William Ingraham Koch, http://www.a3.org/koch_full_bio.html

Bill Koch [businessman], http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Koch_%28businessman%29

Handbook of Texas Online: Quanah, Texas

 

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