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Thomas John Watson Jr. was an American businessman, the 16th United States ambassador to the Soviet Union, and CEO and president of IBM. He was the son of Thomas John Watson, the founder of IBM.
Watson Jr. was born to parents Thomas John Watson and Jeanette Kittredge on January 14, 1914. Watson Jr.'s father was Thomas John Watson, the founder of IBM. From a very early age, Watson Jr. was often exposed to his father's work. He was frequently brought along on plant inspections and business tours, and appeared at several annual gatherings hosted for IBM's Hundred Percent Club. Watson Jr. attended the Hun School of Princeton for his secondary schooling and graduated in 1933. He proceeded to attend Brown University and graduated in 1937.
In his autobiography Father, Son & Co., Watson Jr. discussed an undiagnosed learning disability he struggled with during his school years, calling it a "visual defect" in which printed text, like in books, appeared to slide off the page when he attempted to read. This is a common symptom of dyslexia. He struggled in school, writing "I barely made it through high school. It took me three schools and six years before I finally graduated at 19." He acknowledged he was admitted to Brown due to his father's influence.
Watson Jr. began his career at IBM's Manhattan office in October 1937 as a salesman, the same year he graduated from Brown University. Just a few years later at the start of World War II, Watson Jr. left IBM to serve as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps. After completing his military service, he returned to IBM. In January 1952, he was elected president of the company. In May 1956, he became CEO when his father retired, and chairman of the board in five years later in May 1961. In 1971, Watson Jr. suffered a heart attack and resigned from his positions, but remained a board member until 1984. From 1979 to 1981, he left IBM's board again to serve as an ambassador.
Watson Jr. left IBM at the beginning of World War II to serve as a pilot. By the time he was discharged five years later, he was rated senior pilot and ranked lieutenant colonel. After completing his military service at this time, he returned to his position at IBM. In 1979, he served as ambassador of the United States of America to the Soviet Union, nominated by president Jimmy Carter. He held this position until January 1981.
Watson Jr. died on December 31, 1993, following complications from a stroke.
