William C. Foster

Nationality

U.S.A.

Date of Birth

1897

Date of Death

1984

Political
Preference

Republican

William Chapman Foster was born in Westfield, New Jersey and studied chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Foster was an American businessman and high-ranking government official.

After he served in the U.S. Army Forces during World War I, Foster went into business for himself as the owner of the Pressed & Welded Steel Products Company. Following a successful business career, Foster worked closely with the U.S. government during World War II, serving on the New York City mayors’ post-war planning committee.

In 1946, Foster worked under Averell Harriman as undersecretary of Commerce and was involved in the European Recovery Program (ERP). IN 1948, he became Harriman’s Deputy as Special Representative of Europe and subsequently was promoted Director of the Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA) in 1950. From that position, he frequently chaired meetings with the ECA Mission Chiefs from different European countries. In 1951 President Harry S. Truman appointed him Deputy Secretary of Defense.