Collection ID: FA084

Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Rockefeller, Rodman (1932-2000) and International Basic Economy Corporation
Extent:
125.5 Cubic Feet
Language:
English .

Background

Scope and Content:

The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, publications, minutes, dockets, photographs, tape recordings, and films. The collection was created by the IBEC files department, and many documents contain department seals and marginal notes in pencil.

Subjects include agriculture in Latin America; the economics of agriculture; foreign business enterprise; economic development in Latin America; the food industry in Latin America, including egg production, fisheries, food crops, food distribution, and food production; housing; hybrid corn and hybrid seeds; investment banking and investment trusts; dried milk; poultry breeding; food preservation; coffee processing; swine breeding; silk manufacture and trade; and shopping centers and supermarkets in Latin America.

Among the companies represented in these files are: Arbor Acres Farm, Inc., Booker McConnell Limited, Cinva-Ram, and Venezuelan Basic Economy Corporation (VBEC).

Among the individuals who appear in the files are: Victor Andrade, Romulo Betancourt, David Dubinsky, John B. Griffing, Francis A. Jamieson, K. J. Kadow, Donald E. Meads, Robert Moses, Nelson A. Rockefeller, Rodman C. Rockefeller, and Winthrop Rockefeller.

Among the countries represented in this collection are: the Argentine Republic, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Latin America, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, Spain, Thailand, and Venezuela.

Biographical / Historical:

The International Basic Economy Corporation (IBEC) (1947-1977) was founded by Nelson A. Rockefeller in January 1947. The Corporation was developed as a private business enterprise that would focus on upgrading the "basic economies" of lesser-developed nations by lowering food prices, building sound housing, mobilizing savings, and fostering industrialization. The objective was for the business to be profitable and sustainable, and to encourage others, especially nationals, to establish competitive businesses and thereby establish a "multiplier" development effect. In it's early years, 1947-1955, IBEC was especially focused in Latin America, specifically Brazil and Venezuela. The subsidiary Venezuelan Basic Economy Corporation (VBEC) was formed, which was divided into several companies: a fishing company, a food wholesaling company, which later became a retail supermarket company, and a milk company.

In Brazil, IBEC divided into five companies which provided specialized services to farmers. These companies individually focused in the areas of: hybrid seeds, hog experimentation, grain storage, helicopter crop-dusting, and mechanized agricultural services. IBEC also invested modestly in Brazilian manufacturing and investment banking.

During the period 1956-1971, IBEC's mission broadened to encompass new activities, such as mutual funds, housing, poultry, and soluble coffee companies. During this time IBEC expanded into other geographical areas, eventually having operations in thirty-three countries on four continents.

By 1972, the subsidiaries and joint ventures were reorganized into five operating groups: food, housing, distribution, industrial and financial services. The food group aimed at increasing the quality and yield of basic edible commodities in various host nations. The housing group concentrated on predominantly prefabricated low to medium-priced housing in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Brazil. The distribution group operated cash and carry supermarkets in several Latin American countries. The industrial group, including three U.S. subsidiaries, produced equipment for American industrial markets. The financial services group was instrumental in the development of indigenous capital markets in Brazil, Spain and Thailand.

In 1973, the company began a divestment program and by 1980, when IBEC merged with Booker McConnell Limited, was primarily engaged in agriculturally-related endeavors. In 1985 the company name was changed from IBEC, Inc. to Arbor Acres Farm, Inc.

Acquisition information:
Rodman C. Rockefeller donated the IBEC records to the Rockefeller Archive Center in 1985.
Appraisal information:

It is believed that the original records filmed to microforms were destroyed following the filming. It is therefore likely that there is little to no overlap in content between paper records and microforms other than material which may have been maintained in more than one file location during active use of the documents.

Processing information:

Veronica Rossi minimally processed the paper records in 2002. Microforms were processed by Beth Jaffe-Davis.

The records remain in original folders and storage boxes.

Files are numbered consecutively in Series 1 through Series 8. Series 9 and 10 and Series 11 (Photographs) are each numbered separately.

File titles for the microforms include - Company name: Location or Department: File description.

Arrangement:

The IBEC records are arranged in 14 series:

Series 1 - Miscellaneous

Series 2 - Projects and Proposals

Series 3 - Public Relations and Publicity

Series 4 - Services and Consultants

Series 5 - General Information - Data and Research

Series 6 - Conferences

Series 7 - Associations

Series 8 - IBEC

Series 9 - IBEC History Project Files

Series 10 - Rodman C. Rockefeller Files

Series 11 - Photographs

Series IBEC - Microforms

Series J - Microforms

Series R - Microfilm

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

Open for research with select materials restricted as noted. Brittle or damaged items are available at the discretion of RAC. Researchers interested in accessing digital media (floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, etc.) or audiovisual material (audio cassettes, VHS, etc.) in this collection must use an access surrogate. The original items may not be accessed because of preservation concerns. To request an access surrogate be made, or if you are unsure if there is an access surrogate, please contact an archivist.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

The Rockefeller Archive Center has title, copyright, and literary rights in the collection, in so far as it holds them, and has authority to grant permission to cite and publish archival material from the collection.

LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
15 Dayton Avenue
Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591, United States
CONTACT: