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Graduating from West Point in June 1954 was a
life-defining moment for Robert Joseph Harvey. Bob was the middle
child of five in a relatively poor family in Pittsburgh, PA. After a shaky
launch in life, including two serious bouts of rheumatic fever as a younger boy
(before antibiotics) and severe dyslexia, Bob nevertheless was determined to
attend college. This meant obtaining a scholarship, since there was no other
funding available. Considering that this was 1950, still in the wake of World
War II, the military educational opportunities seemed to offer the best
prospects. Bob obtained an appointment to the Merchant Marine Academy in New
London, CT; a partial Naval ROTC scholarship; and an appointment to West Point.
His choice was never in doubt (other than during Beast Barracks).
Bob and Sue became engaged immediately after Bob
finished jump training at Ft. Benning, GA, in December 1954. Bob had volunteered
for duty in Korea, so the plan was that Bob would complete his tour of duty,
after which they would get married, which they did. Bob’s tour of Korea was both
exciting and challenging, having served most of his 16 months there as company
commander of A Company, 44th Construction Engineering Battalion. This was on the
leading edge of the Reconstruction Program for Korea and involved some quite
exciting construction projects. As a company commander in a challenging time and
place, Bob learned much that was of considerable value later in life.
Returning home from Korea, getting married to Sue,
starting his career as a married first lieutenant, the first of their three sons
arriving, and Bob and Sue desiring to go on to graduate school, all in addition
to enduring a disappointing duty assignment after Korea, led Bob to resign his
commission in July 1957. The next decade included raising a family and moving on
to graduate school while working to pay for all of this, primarily through the
GI Bill and then on a “wild ride” at Thermo Electron Corporation, a company
expanded literally from a garage in Cambridge, MA, to a highly successful public
company on Route 128 in Waltham, MA.
After being awarded a Ph.D. from Worcester
Polytechnic Institute, Bob started Mirlin Corporation of Hudson, MA with Bob as
chairman, CEO, and president. This growth was stimulated substantially when
investors such as Barclay’s Bank of London; Prudential of Newark, NJ; and
Reynolds Metals of Richmond, VA invested in Bob’s venture. However, after six
years of rapid expansion and while launching a major new commercial product, a
protein sweetener and flavor enhancer oriented primarily toward diabetic
patients, disaster struck. Bob, along with his family, associates, and
investors, suffered a major loss when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) suddenly revised the official classification of this protein sweetener
from a “food substance” to a “food additive.” The FDA then determined that since
no Food Additive Petition had been approved for this product, it had to be
withdrawn from the market. With a huge negative cash flow because of no incoming
revenues as a result of the FDA ban, liabilities skyrocketed, forcing Bob to
file for bankruptcy protection for the company. Bob then had to learn the tough
side of being an entrepreneur: discharging hundreds of employees in a single
day, among many other equally unpleasant tasks, and selling assets for a “a dime
on the dollar.”
Then, in January 1976, Bob made contact with J.
Donald Hill, MD, a cardiovascular surgeon in San Francisco who held similar
views and convictions about what needed to be done in the field of circulatory
support devices for failing hearts. This decision was based upon Bob’s strong
desire to return to the work he had pioneered at Thermo Electron.
In March 1976, Dr. Hill and Bob organized Thoratec
Laboratories Corporation in Northern California, with Bob as chairman of the
board, CEO, and president and Dr. Hill as the principal investor. Bob spent
another 14 years battling the FDA, his lifelong nemesis. Of course, this meant a
move to California for the Harvey family, with school changes for their three
sons, and a change of jobs for Sue, all quite disruptive. However, the Harvey
family pulled together, and ultimately Thoratec did thrive.
Twenty-four years later, in the Fall of 2000, Bob
was particularly gratified when Thoratec merged with Thermo Cardio Systems of
Woburn, MA, the company that emerged from Bob’s efforts at diversifying Thermo
Electron into the cardiovascular business in the 1960s. As a result of this
merger, Thoratec Corporation, the surviving company, became responsible for
approximately 90 percent of all cardiovascular devices sold for assisting
failing cardiovascular circulation worldwide.
Bob would want to close, however, with a special
note concerning his thoughts about the U.S. Military Academy. He felt quite
strongly that the principles learned at West Point equip its graduates to deal
with whatever challenges they later encounter in life, whether serving our
nation in the military or in other fields of their choice. Graduating from West
Point was a life-defining moment for him. He felt honored and proud to have had
the opportunity to attend West Point.
Bob Harvey’s classmates, in particular those who
knew him best, will all sing accolades for their dear friend. He was a man of
high integrity and loyal to what is right and just. Bob loved a good laugh, and
when you were in his company, you were cheered. His soul mate Sue was a perfect
complement to him; together, they sparkled. His soaring intelligence was at its
best when he was challenged. Those who remember Bob Harvey at West Point are not
surprised at his remarkable accomplishments in the business, scientific, and
academic worlds. He was a natural and brought great credit to the Long Gray
Line. |
