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Robert J. Harvey   '54

No. 19615   • January 28, 1932 - January 1, 2012

Died in Walnut Creek, CA

Cremated. Ashes scattered in San Francisco Bay, CA

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.

Originally published in TAPS, SUMMER 2012

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