Amory Houghton

Amory Houghton (July 27, 1899 – February 1981) served as United States Ambassador to France from 1957 to 1961 and as national president of the Boy Scouts of America. He was chairman of the board of Corning Glass Works (1941-1961). In 1959 he was elected as an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati.

Work

After attending Harvard, Houghton began work in the blowing room of B Factory at Corning Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated) in 1921. In 1926 he became assistant to the president and 2 years later was elected executive vice-president. In 1930 he became president and at the death of his father in 1941 chairman of the board. After leaving this position in 1961 he went on to serve as chairman of the executive committee from 1961 to 1964. He was then named chairman of the board again from 1964 - 1971.

Family

His father, Alanson B. Houghton, served as a United States Representative from New York, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Germany and U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. His son, Amory Houghton Jr., served as a United States Representative from New York. His second cousin was actress Katharine Hepburn.

Scouting

Houghton received the Silver Buffalo Award in 1945 and served as the National president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1946-51. He served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1949–55. He was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, in 1955.