Glenn Britt
Glenn A. Britt, former chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable who maintained homes in Westport, New York City, and Hawaii, died today. He was 65.
An obituary issued by the Frank E. Campbell funeral home in New York said he died “after a valiant fight with melanoma.”
“Glenn left us with a legacy of innovation, integrity and inclusion,” Marcus said in a statement. “We were guided for many years by his strong belief that a company must be willing to reinvent itself to be successful.”
Britt joined the company in 1972. He rose up the corporate ladder, becoming vice president of Time Inc. in 1986, treasurer in 1986 and vice president-finance in 1988. He later was named senior vice president and treasurer of Time Warner Inc. and then president and CEO of Time Warner Cable Ventures. He was named CEO of Time Warner Cable in 2001 and chairman of its board in 2009.
He is credited with helping to launch Time Warner’s Road Runner Internet service, overseeing its move into telecom, and guiding the newly independent company following its 2009 spinoff from Time Warner Inc. Cognizant of the threats that online video posed to cable subscription, Britt pushed Time Warner Cable to expand and enhance its broadband offerings.
In February, Comcast announced that it planned to purchase Time Warner Cable for $45.2 billion. The deal is still awaiting regulatory approval.
Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts honored Britt’s philanthropy and competitive spirit in a statement.
“Glenn Britt was an incredible leader, visionary, and for decades he was a wonderful friend and mentor,” Roberts said. “He was a key part of our industry’s growth and success and was a true leader in every respect. His focus on helping others was heartwarming, and his competitive spirit was inspiring. He will be deeply missed.”
Outside of work, Britt was involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors, among them serving as a trustee of Westport’s Earthplace. Gardening was a favorite activity at his Westport home, the obituary noted. He and his wife Barbara purchased their 3.13-acre home on Long Lots Road opposite the Fairfield County Hunt Club in 1995.
It at one time had been home to the late CBS News correspondent Harry Reasoner and before that was owned by Nat and Lee Greenberg, who rented it for a time to Elizabeth Taylor and husband Mike Todd.
He also had a home on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he enjoyed golf, walks on the beach, and entertaining good friends, the obituary added.
He was born on March 6, 1949, in Hackensack, N.J. to parents Walter E. Britt and Helen Crupi.
He was a magna cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College class of 1971 and received his MBA from he Amos Tuck School of Business in 1972.
In addition to serving on the board of directors of Time Warner Cable, he was a director of both Cardinal Health and Xerox Corporation.
He was also on the board of the Manhattan Theatre Club and was a member of the Tuck Board of Overseers.
He was a member of the Blindbrook Club, Eastward Ho Golf Club of Chatham, Mass., and the Woodway Country Club of Darien as well as the University Club of New York.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, the former Barbara Jane Little, and his stepfather, Robert Crupi of Chatham, Mass.
His family will receive friends on Friday, June 13, from 3–5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home, 1076 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. The funeral service will be Saturday, June 14, at 1 p.m.
Burial in Westport’s Willowbrook Cemetry will be private.
A memorial celebration of his life will take place in the coming weeks.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are requested to the Dartmouth College Fund for Financial Aid, c/o Gift Recording, 6066 Development Office, Hanover, NH 03755.
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