C. Howard Wilkins Jr.

Calvin Howard Wilkins Jr. (February 19, 1938 – December 24, 2016) was an American businessman and political fundraiser who served as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands.

Ambassador Wilkins in 1989

Life and career

Calvin Howard Wilkins Jr.[1] was born in Wichita, Kansas on February 19, 1938.[2] He graduated from Yale University in 1960 and began a business career.[3][4][5]

In 1966 Wilkins bought the Pizza Hut franchise in Kentucky, and in less than two years he added 16 restaurants. He then sold his restaurants to the parent corporation, which he joined as Vice President for International Operations. The company's first restaurants outside the United States were built during his tenure, and in 1970 he left the company to become President of Pizza Corporation of America, and later Maverick Development Corporation. He operated 270 Pizza Hut restaurants in the United States and overseas, and later moved on to franchises of other name brand restaurants.[6][7][8][9]

A Republican, Wilkins was a donor and fundraiser for the 1976 presidential campaign of Gerald Ford.[10] In the 1980s he served as a member of the board of directors of the Synthetic Fuels Corporation.[11]

He was also major donor to and fundraiser for the 1988 presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush. From 1989 to 1992 he served as Bush's Ambassador to the Netherlands.[12][13]

Wilkins has continued as a contributor to and fundraiser for several presidential candidates, including: Bob Dole; Elizabeth Dole; George W. Bush; Rudy Giuliani; John McCain; and Mitt Romney. He has also been involved in several campaigns for the United States Senate, which included those of: William Weld; Elizabeth Dole; George Allen; Roy Blunt; and Michael Steele. He has also been involved with several campaign committees, to include: Grow PAC; the Leadership Circle PAC; Campaign America PAC; and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Wilkins also continued his business career, including partnerships and board of directors memberships for Panera Bread, Amarillo Mesquite Grill Inc., Siemens Water Technologies Corp. and other companies.[21][22]

Ambassador Wilkins and his family are also philanthropists, and their activities include a charitable organization, the C. Howard Wilkins Foundation and establishing women's softball and basketball scholarships at Wichita State University.[23][24][25] Wilkins died on December 24, 2016, at the age of 78.[26]

References
  1. Webster Griffin Tarpley, Anton Chaitkin, George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography, Part 1, 1992, page 658
  2. National Archives and Records Administration, Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Volume 17, Issue 2, 1981, page 509
  3. The American Presidency Project, Nomination of C. Howard Wilkins Jr. To Be United States Ambassador to The Netherlands, June 1, 1989
  4. U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Nominations of Victor A. Schroeder, C. Howard Wilkins, Victor Montgomery Thompson Jr. and Robert A. G. Monks to be Members of the Board of Directors, U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation, September 10, 1981, page 9
  5. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Nomination of C. Howard Wilkins Jr. to be United States Ambassador to the Netherlands, 1989, page 662
  6. Council of American Ambassadors, Biography, C. Howard Wilkins Jr. Archived 2010-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, accessed January 1, 2013
  7. Wall Street Journal, Pizza Corp. of America, November 8, 1973
  8. Wichita Eagle, Kansans Urged as Diplomats, February 2, 1989
  9. Wichita Eagle, Wilkins Quitting as Ambassador: KC Man to be Posted to the Hague, May 15, 1992
  10. Fort Scott tribune, Wichita Man Named State Chairman, October 3, 1975
  11. Associated Press, The Hour (Norwalk, Connecticut), Moffett, Federal Board Official Disagree on Political Activities, January 14, 1982
  12. Wichita Eagle, Wichita's Wilkins has Easy Time at Hearings, June 9, 1989
  13. Dwight L. Morris, Washington Post, The Rewards of Political Philanthropy, June 3, 1996
  14. Andrew Miga and Joe Sciacca, Boston Herald, Weld Fund-Raisers Target Top GOP Campaign Donors, May 9, 1996
  15. Wayne Slater, Dallas Morning News, Friends of the Father Bush Ambassadors Donate to Governor, February 21, 1998
  16. USA Today, Who's Who Among Big-Bucks Donors, October 10, 1988
  17. Richard L. Berke, Prodded by Lobbying Group, G.O.P. Reveals $100,000 Donors, January 24, 1989
  18. John M. Broder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dole rakes in the Big Bucks, July 29, 1995
  19. Wichita Eagle, Koch Executives Dig Deep for Political Gifts, October 22, 1992
  20. Judy Keen, USA Today, Political Bottom Line is on Checks;`Soft Money' is Hard Cash, October 10, 1988
  21. Sherry Graham, Wichita Business Journal, Panera Bread to Open Two New Locations in Wichita, April 7, 2002
  22. Bloomberg Businessweek, Executive Profile, C. Howard Wilkins Jr., accessed January 1, 2013
  23. Wichita State University, Spirit of the Gift Biography Project: C. Howard Wilkins Sr. Women's Softball Scholarship, accessed January 1, 2013
  24. Wichita State University, Spirit of the Gift Project: C. Howard Wilkins Sr. Women's Basketball Scholarship, accessed January 1, 2013
  25. The Foundation Center, Guide to U.S. Foundations, Their Trustees, Officers, and Donors, Volume 1, 2001, page 1246
  26. "Ambassador Calvin Howard Wilkins Jr. dies". Palm Beach News.

External resources
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
John S.R. Shad		 United States Ambassador to the Netherlands
1989–1992		 Succeeded by
K. Terry Dornbush
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