Remembering Corning Inc.'s James Houghton: 'There was always a Houghton at the helm'

When Jack Benjamin arrived in Corning in 1973 to head up local economic development agency Three Rivers Development Corp., he got his first impression of board chairman James Houghton.

It was an enduring and positive one, of a man whose family founded Corning Glass Works in the 1800s and who would go on to serve two different stints as chairman of the company later known as Corning Inc.

"He was really instrumental in getting the (Tropical Storm Agnes) flood recovery underway, and having Three Rivers involved in many projects," Benjamin said. "Right from the get-go, he's been a tremendous leader and a longtime friend. I was friends with (Houghton's brother) Amo also. It was an honor to be around them and see their leadership skills."

Houghton, affectionately known as Jamie by all who knew him, died Dec. 20 at his home in Boston, Massachusetts. He was 86.

Carrying on a family legacy

Houghton attended public schools in Corning growing up, and later obtained his bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1958, and his master's in business administration from Harvard Business School in 1962.

He also married his wife Masie that year.

Houghton went to work for Corning Glass Works that same year, starting as a shift foreman at a facility in Danville, Kentucky.

He eventually joined Corning International, and in 1983 succeeded his brother Amo as chairman of the Corning Glass Works board. Amo Houghton, who died in March 2020, went on to serve 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Houghton was known for setting the company on the track toward global innovation in a wide variety of high-tech fields, including optical fiber, Corning Inc. representatives said in a statement. From 1983 to the time of his initial retirement in 1996, company sales grew from $1.5 billion to $5.3 billion, the company said.

Houghton came back to lead the company again from 2002 to 2005.

"I failed retirement," he joked at the time.

'There was always a Houghton at the helm'

“Jamie was an exceptional leader, a dear friend, and one of my personal mentors," said Wendell P. Weeks, Corning's chairman and chief executive officer. "Whether you had the good fortune to work directly with Jamie or not, everyone at Corning has been touched by his vision and his leadership.”

Corning historian Tom Dimitroff was a close friend of the Houghton family and has written several books about their legacy.

Dimitroff said Houghton's death marks the end of a long era.

"I do know this. You had five Houghtons who ran that company from nothing to a Fortune 500 company. I don't think anybody else can do that," he said. "There was always a Houghton at the helm and always one being groomed to take over. This is the first time there's no Houghton."

A commitment to community

While he was focused on building Corning Inc. into a global leader in technological innovation and quality, Houghton made sure the company didn't forget its roots, and was strongly committed to the Corning area where he grew up.

"He would periodically request that I come over to his office to provide briefings on city projects," said Corning City Manager Mark Ryckman. "He wanted to know what was happening in the community and how he could provide support. Jamie was a remarkable leader."

Houghton served on many corporate and non-profit boards, including MetLife, CBS, Exxon, JP Morgan, the Morgan Library and the Corning Museum of Glass, according to his obituary.

At one point in his career, he was simultaneously chairman of Corning Inc., chairman of the board of trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the senior fellow of the Harvard Corp.

Weeks also noted Houghton's passion went well beyond the company.

“Jamie leaves a remarkable legacy," Weeks said, "including the company that he was instrumental in building into one of the world’s leading innovators in materials science, the cultural institutions he strengthened with his philanthropy, the communities that he enriched with his support, and the countless lives he touched with his generosity and warmth.”

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This article originally appeared on The Leader: Longtime Corning Inc. Chairman James Houghton dies at 86