Consumer Reports. R. David Pittle papers, 1965-2006
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Summary
- Creator:
- Consumer Reports (Firm)
- Abstract:
- Consumer Reports is a product testing and consumer advocacy nonprofit organization based in Yonkers, N.Y., founded in 1936 as Consumers Union. R. David Pittle was Technical Director of Consumers Union from 1982-2005. Collection includes articles; clippings; correspondence; press releases; published comments and statements; research reports and data and other printed materials. Institutions represented in the collection include the Consumer Product Safety Commission; National Science Foundation; and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Topics addressed in the collection include automobile standards; automotive aftermarket replacement parts; child automotive car seats and restraints; hair dryers and small appliance safety; and kerosene space heaters. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
- Extent:
- 8.0 Linear Feet
- Language:
- Materials in English, Spanish.
- Collection ID:
- RL.12019
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Collection includes articles; clippings; correspondence; press releases; published comments and statements; research reports and data and other printed materials. Institutions represented in the collection include the Consumer Product Safety Commission; National Science Foundation; and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Topics addressed in the collection include automobile standards; automotive aftermarket replacement parts; child automotive car seats and restraints; hair dryers and small appliance safety; and kerosene space heaters.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Consumer Reports is a product testing and consumer advocacy nonprofit organization based in Yonkers, N.Y., founded in 1936 as Consumers Union. R. David Pittle was Technical Director of Consumers Union from 1982-2005.
Ronald David Pittle was born in 1938 in Washington, D.C. He attended the University of Maryland (BS, Electrical Engineering, 1963) and the University of Wisconsin (MSEE 1965, PhD Electrical Engineering 1969). He worked as an electrical engineer (West Virginia Pulp and Paper 1962; Goddard Space Flight Center 1963), then taught at the University of Wisconsin (1963-1969); Wisconsin School of Electronics (1964-1966); and Carnegie-Mellon University (1969-1973). While in Pittsburg Pittle also served as president of the Alliance for Consumer Protection (1971-1973). In 1973 Pittle was appointed a Commissioner at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, where he served until 1982. Pittle was Technical Director and Vice President of Consumers Union from 1982 until his retirement in 2005.
- Acquisition information:
- The Consumer Reports. R. David Pittle papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift from Consumer Reports in 2019.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Kristina Thomas, July 2022
Accessions described in this collection guide: 2019-0130.
- Arrangement:
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Organized into the following series: Personal and Professional Files; Comments and Statements; Product Safety Issues.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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- Restrictions:
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Collection is closed by donor request until 2036.
- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.
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- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Consumer Reports. R. David Pittle papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1774c