RG LeTourneau

R.G. LeTourneau- God’s Businessman
Introduction
Although he struggled as a child and through his early teen years, R.G. LeTourneau grew to be successful both as a Christian and as a businessman. His commitment to leading a business with a firm foundation of Christian beliefs proved to be a strong principal for which he felt all businessmen should abide. Through innovation and a strong Christian foundation, he lived to do many wonderful things. Through his auto-biography, “R.G. LeTourneau: Mover of Men and Mountains”, we learn that with trust and partnership with the Lord, even one man can make an impact on this earth.

R.G. LeTourneau was born in Richford, Vermont during the winter of 1888, the son of Caleb and Elizabeth LeTourneau. At the age of 14, he decided that a traditional education was not for him. At the disappointment of his parents, R.G. LeTourneau dropped out of school, and quickly moved in to the working world. His first job, working as an apprentice molder for East Portland Iron Works, proved to be a stepping stone to what would one day produce an inventor of grand proportions. He is most famously known for his innovative earth moving equipment that revolutionized the industry in more ways than one, but is also known as one of the few businessmen that gave credit to the Lord for all that he was given. And although there were many ups and downs, LeTourneau continuously strived to keep his partnership with God at the forefront of every venture he approached.

LeTourneau was an innovator without realizing that he was innovative. In fact, when described as being a man whose visions were years ahead of his time, he would often scratch his head in dismay. He felt that his invention were very much in the present, coming up with most of his ideas in his bath tub or on the seat of a tractor, and creating what he needed at the time to get him past one problem or another. The items that he invented are too numerous to list, but the most widely known for his development and invention of earthmoving machines. One of the most recognizable creations was the runner tire bulldozer. By adding runner tires, this machine could now work through terrain in which it was not previously capable. He also made numerous improvements to scrapers, even creating a two wheeled tracker named the Tournpull, which would allow scrapers to be more efficiently maneuvered. Approximately 80 inventions were patented while working on government contracts. LeTourneau factories were responsible for supplying seventy percent of heavy equipment used during WWII. Also, while working on projects in Liberia and Peru, he invented what became known as the Jungle Crusher, a machine that could push through and destroy massive trees of the jungle. In later years, LeTourneau invented the first known mobile drilling platform used for offshore drilling. These platforms were first created for Zapata Oil, Inc., then owned by George H.W. Bush.

Through all of his success, R.G. LeTourneau remained loyal and devoted to his family. In 1937, he married Evelyn Peterson of Minnesota. Their family would eventually grow in size with the addition of seven children. Unfortunately, his first born passed away at a very young age from a flu epidemic, and another son passed away later in life in a plane crash. His living children are his only surviving daughter, Louis, and four sons Richard, Ray, Ted and Ben. All of his children were raised knowing that God comes first and everything else comes after. Each of them lived to work with their father, helping to develop projects in Liberia in Peru and by managing and overseeing the company, the foundation, and the college. Not only did LeTourneau instill Christian values in his home, but also in his business. He was one of the only businessmen to insist that a chaplain be available to all of his employees. He also helped develop and publish a monthly newsletter about faith and Christianity that was distributed to all of his employees and multiple fellow businessmen. This publication is named ‘Now’, and is still in publication as ‘Now Magazine’, distributed and maintained at LeTourneau University. LeTourneau was always loyal and appreciative of his employees. When working through a serious problem on one particular job, he wasn’t sure how he would meet a deadline that was required in order to keep the job. He turned to his employees, and asked for their guidance and support. Although they weren’t sure that they could achieve the goal in front of them, they promised to do whatever means necessary to try. LeTourneau (1972) commented on this in his auto biography saying, “I had a mighty loyal bunch of men. If all Christians could unite like that in their loyalty of the Lord, this world wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in.” (LeTourneau, 1972, p. 180).

Whether they thought of as crazy or inspiring, there was never a doubt in his peers’ minds that R.G. LeTourneau was a man of faith that built his business on the grounds of Christianity. To him, working with God as a partner was essential in order to be successful in this earthly life. He was known to say, “Not how much of my money I give to God, but how much of His money I keep for myself.” (LeTourneau, 1972, p.90). This quote seems to epitomize the doctrine in which LeTourneau stood. He believed that

R.G. LeTourneau – His Faith
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Conclusion
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References

LeTourneau, R. (1972). Mover of Men and Mountains; Autobiography. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.

References: LeTourneau, R. (1972). Mover of Men and Mountains; Autobiography. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.