Joseph Paul Sticht was born on this day in 1917, in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Grove City College, and married Ferne Cozad.
He was president of Campbell Soup Company and president of Federated Department Stores. He joined the board of directors for R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1968.
Sticht retired from Federated Department Stores in 1972, and became president of Reynolds in 1973. At that time, he was considered to be the first outsider in the company’s history to have an executive position.
Sticht became the chief executive in 1978 and the chairman of the board in 1979 for R. J. Reynolds Industries.
During his time at Reynolds, the company began to purchase companies in the food and drink arenas, and created a presence in the international tobacco market. He retired in 1984.
Sticht also played a role in the appointment of F. Ross Johnson as chief executive in 1986. He served as interim chairman and chief executive again in 1989.
Sticht served on many community boards and was particularly involved in health care. The Sticht Center on Aging and Rehabilitation at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is named for him.
Sticht passed away in 2007.
