Murray to Be Next Chairman of Mobil Corp.

Allen Murray, president of Mobil Corp. for the past year, was named Monday to succeed Rawleigh Warner Jr. as chairman and chief executive of the New York-based company.

Murray, 56, is to assume his new duties when Warner retires Feb. 1. Murray will retain his positions as president and chief operating officer and will become chairman of the executive committee of Mobil.

Warner’s retirement had been announced earlier this year.

Mobil directors also announced the election of two vice chairmen, Richard Tucker and James Riordan, who also was named chief financial officer.

Murray began his career in the oil industry as a mail room clerk at Gulf Oil in 1949. He joined Mobil in 1952 as an accountant when he was turned down for a special training program at Gulf.

Since becoming Mobil’s president in November, 1984, Murray has been concentrating on a belt-tightening program aimed at making Mobil a tougher competitor.

A major part of that restructuring is a $508-million face lift for Montgomery Ward & Co., Mobil’s troubled retailing subsidiary. Mobil announced earlier this year that it is attempting to turn Montgomery Ward into a smaller, profitable firm capable of standing on its own.