Chester R. Davis

Chester R. Davis (February 27, 1896 – July 31, 1966) was an American businessman.

Education and early career

Davis was born in St. Charles, Illinois. He worked at the Ziegler Coal Company, and served in the 320th Infantry during World War I. He attended Lake Forest College and the University of Illinois.Government Printing Office. U.S. Government Organization Manual 1955–1956. Washington, DC: GPO. p. 134. Immediately after graduating from UI, he became an assistant trust officer at the Chicago Title and Trust Company,{{cite news|title=CHESTER DAVIS 21 IS NAMED TRUST OFFICER|work=Daily Illini|date=1924-01-22}} where he was elected director and vice-president on January 10, 1939.{{cite news|title=CHICAGO TRUST ELECTS; JH Douglas, CR Davis and KE Rice Added to Board|work=The New York Times|date=1939-01-10|pages=31}}

Public service

On February 19, 1954, he was nominated by President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller).{{cite book|pages=49|title=Americana Annual: An Encyclopedia of Current Events|editor=Alexander Hopkins McDannald|publisher=Americana corporation|year=1956}}{{cite news|title=BANKER NOMINATED AS A TOP ARMY AIDE|work=The New York Times|date=1955-02-19}}{{cite news|title=IKE NOMINATES CHICAGO MAN FOR ARMY JOB|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=1955-02-19|pages=3}} The US Senate Armed Services Committee approved the nomination on March 4, 1955.{{cite news|title=Army Executive Nominated|work=The New York Times|date=1955-03-04}}{{cite news|title=Unit Approves Choice of Davis|work=The Washington Post|date=1955-03-04}}

Davis served for two years as Assistant Secretary during which he developed a plan for medical and hospital care for the armed forces.{{cite book|title=Political Influence|author=Edward C. Banfield and James Q. Wilson|pages=32|publisher=Transaction Publishers|year=2003|isbn= 9780765805560}} For his "lasting contributions" he was decorated in 1956-12-12.{{cite news|title=CHESTER DAVIS DECORATED FOR ARMY SERVICE|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=1956-12-12}} He resigned from that position on 1957-12-15.{{cite book|title=Facts on File Yearbook|publisher=Facts on File, inc.|year=1957|pages=413}}

After his resignation from government service, he returned to Chicago. In February 1957, he had been appointed to a subcommittee of the Committee of 49, a citizen's advisory committee that had been appointed by the Chicago Welfare Council. He had already served on a similar committee in 1952 to consider the affairs of the county hospital. At the time, he was a Republican.

Retirement and death

He retired from Chicago Title and Trust in 1961.{{cite book|title=Trusts and Estates|publisher=Fiduciary Publishers|year=1961|pages=350}} In 1963, he was named vice-president of the Association of the United States Army.{{cite news|title=Army Society Fills Post|work=The New York Times|date=1963-09-29}}

Davis died in 1966 of a heart attack in his home in Wayne, Illinois.{{cite news|title=SERVICES SET FOR C. R. DAVIS, CIVIC LEADER|work=Chicago Tribune|date=1966-08-01|pages=C10}}