George Gribbin

“A writer should be a joyous optimist. Anything that implies rejection of life is wrong for a writer”. George Gribbin

George Gribbin was born was born in Nashville, Mich., and was Phi Beta Kappa when he graduated from Stanford University in 1929. He then worked as a copywriter for a number of department stores – J. L. Hudson’s in Detroit, Bamberger’s in Newark and Macy’s in New York.

In 1935, Mr. Gribbin joined Young & Rubicam as a copywriter and quickly rose to the rank of copy supervisor. His only break with the agency came in 1942, when he joined the Army as a private. He left in 1945 as a captain.

Returning to the advertising company, he became a vice president for radio and television copy in 1951, and in 1954 he became the agency copy director for print and television. He was named a senior vice president in 1956, president in 1958, chief executive officer in 1962 and chairman in 1963.
Gribbin had pioneered Young & Rubicam’s expansion abroad and as a consultant spent several months surveying the markets in Argentina, Brazil and Japan before offices were opened in those countries. Worked for Department Stores.

George Gribbin died while on vacation in Portugal in 1981.