ABOUT RALPH RHOADES

Chairman of the Board, Gulf Oil Corporation

Ralph Omer Rhoades is the great uncle of the founders of Rhoades Oil Company, Paul and Joel Bezinque.  Rhoades was born July 30, 1895, in Urich, Missouri.  In 1917, when the United States began its participation in World War I, Mr. Rhoades enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.  He was discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1919.  At the conclusion of his military service, he completed his undergraduate work at Stanford University with a major in geology and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in the spring of 1922.  Rhoades joined Gulf Oil Corporation in 1926.  He traveled the globe on assignments from Gulf, which led to the discovery of Middle Eastern oil fields, first on Bahrain Island and later in the Shaikhdom of Kuwait.  After serving in various capacities at Gulf from 1926-1958, he was elected chairman of the board of directors in September, 1959.  He retired in October 1960 and died July 19, 1961.  It was not his habit to rest until the day's work was done or to turn his back on an uncompleted task.