John B. Hess

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John Hess
John B. Hess, 2025 (54587042963).jpg
Hess in 2025
Born
John Barnett Hess

(1954-04-05) April 5, 1954 (age 71) [1]
Education Harvard University (BA, MBA)
Known forCEO of Hess Corporation
SpouseSusan Kessler
Relatives Leon Hess (Father), Constance H. Williams (sister)

John Barnett Hess (born April 5, 1954) is an American businessman who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Hess Corporation.

Contents

Early life and education

Hess was born in 1954 to a Jewish family, [2] [3] the son of Norma and Leon Hess. His father was the founder of the Hess Oil and Chemical, which later became the Amerada Hess Corporation and is now known as the Hess Corporation. His maternal grandfather was New Jersey attorney general David T. Wilentz, who prosecuted Bruno Richard Hauptmann in the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case. [4] He has two sisters: Marlene Hess and former Pennsylvania State Senator Constance H. Williams. [4]

He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1975 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1977. He married Susan Elizabeth Kessler in 1984. [5]

Career

Hess became chairman and CEO of Hess Corporation in 1995. He stepped down as chairman in May 2013, retaining his position as CEO. [6] In September 2024, the Federal Trade Commission conditioned approval of the company’s $53 billion acquisition by Chevron Corporation on Hess being prohibited from serving on the company's board due to his past communications with OPEC. [7] [8]

Political involvement

In August 2025, Hess donated $500,000 to a super PAC supporting Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City. [9]

References

  1. ↑ "Profile: John Hess", NNDB
  2. ↑ We Are Many: Reflections On American Jewish History And Identity By Edward S Shapiro pages 123-124 | retrieved April 6, 2013
  3. ↑ New Jersey Star Ledger: "Norma Wilentz Hess" April 22, 2010
  4. 1 2 New York Times: "Leon Hess, Who Built a Major Oil Company and Owned the Jets, Is Dead at 85" By GERALD ESKENAZI May 08, 1999
  5. ↑ "Susan E. Kessler Exchanges Vows With John Hess", New York Times, December 16, 1984
  6. ↑ Gilbert, Daniel; Lublin, Joann S. (10 May 2013). "Hess Chairman Cedes Title After 18 Years – WSJ.com". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-11-17.
  7. ↑ Elliot, Rebecca F. (30 September 2024). "F.T.C. Clears Chevron's Purchase of Hess With Board Condition". The New York Times . Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  8. ↑ Press release (30 September 2024). "FTC Order Bans Hess CEO from Chevron Board in Chevron-Hess Deal". Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Campanile, Carl (2025-08-24). "Pro-Cuomo super PAC raises whopping $1.26M in past week". New York Post . Archived from the original on 2025-08-25. Retrieved 2025-08-31.


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