Gilbert M. Grosvenor | |
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.jpg) Gilbert M. Grosvenor, guest of honor at the 1999 International Geography Festival | |
| Born | (1931-05-05)May 5, 1931 (age 94) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Alma mater | Yale College |
| Occupations | Chairman Emeritus,National Geographic Society |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005) |
Gilbert Melville Grosvenor (born May 5, 1931) is the former president and chairman of theNational Geographic Society, who previously served as the editor ofNational Geographic magazine.[2] Now largely retired, Grosvenor and his wife Wiley live in Virginia.[3]
Born inWashington, D.C., Grosvenor is the son ofMelville Bell Grosvenor and the great-grandson ofAlexander Graham Bell. He attendedDeerfield Academy.[4] He received a B.A. in psychology from Yale University in 1954. Between his junior and senior years, he volunteered in the Netherlands in efforts to recover from theNorth Sea flood of 1953 and co-authored an article that was published in the National Geographic. "Although I'm not sure I realized it at the time, it changed my life," Grosvenor recently recalled. "I discovered the power of journalism. And that's what we are all about—recording those chronicles of planet Earth."[5] He subsequently joined the staff of the magazine as a picture editor.
In 1970, Grosvenor assumed the position of editor ofNational Geographic Magazine.[2] He married Mary Jarman in 1979.[4] He served as editor until 1980, when he became president of the National Geographic Society, additionally becoming chairman of the board of trustees (on which he served from 1966 to 2014) in 1987. He retired as president in 1996 and chairman in 2011, since which time he has served as an honorary director ofThe Explorers Club.
In 1996, Grosvenor was awarded a gold medal by theRoyal Canadian Geographical Society and theScottish Geographical Medal by theRoyal Scottish Geographical Society.[2][6]
In 1996, Grosvenor received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council memberSylvia Earle.[7]
Grosvenor was awarded thePresidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in theUnited States, by PresidentGeorge W. Bush on June 23, 2004.
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| Preceded by | President of theNational Geographic Society March 1980 – 1996 | Succeeded by |
