Reed Robbins

Biography

Reed Robbins [1925-], Stockton realtor, is descended from the Fanning family, Stockton residents since the city was founded (1848). His father, Curtis M. Robbins, was also realtor. Robbins attended the University of California, graduating with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1945. He took graduate work in Business Administration and Real Estate at the University of Wisconsin. In 1947, Robbins entered the real estate business. His company handled residential properties until 1981. From that date, Robbins became affiliated with First Dominion Financial Services, Inc. and specialized in "real estate-limited partnerships in high quality commercial income property." Active in various professional realty organizations, he was elected president of the Stockton Realty Board (1958) and the California Real Estate Association (1967). He was a member of various committees of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. As a member of the International Real Estate Federation, Robbins was a featured speaker at the Association's 1966 convention in Tokyo. Reed Robbins was also active in community affairs. During the 1950s, Robbins was a member of the Board of Directors of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce. He served from 1959 to 1969 on the President of the University of California's Real Estate Advisory Committee. From 1962, he was a member of Build America Better, an urban renewal advisory organization, which sent him, in 1965, as part of a four member team to advise the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Robbins was chosen "Mr. Stockton 1964" for "outstanding contributions toward the betterment of our city." He was a prominent figure in various controversies surrounding the use of downtown Stockton buildings. In 1978, for instance, Robbins opposed the erection of a new Courthouse Annex, advocating instead the renovation of existing unoccupied structures. In 1983, Robbins was chairman of the San Joaquin County Grand Jury that oversaw the rewriting of the rules under which the Grand Jury operates. Subsequently, he was appointed by President Reagan to the national Solar Energy Advisory Committee. As a spokesman for state realtor groups, Robbins campaigned against the California Open Housing Initiative (Prop. 14) in 1964. Since that time, he has been an active fund raiser and propagandist for various conservative causes and candidates, including Barry Goldwater, the Jarvis-Gann initiative (Prop. 13) and Ronald Reagan, on whose behalf Robbins helped form Realtors in Support of the Administration. Reed Robbins was President of the Stockton Rotary Club from 1976 through 1977. He was also a member of the Masons, the Shriners, the Yosemite Club, the American Legion and the Stockton Symphony Association.

From the guide to the Robbins (Reed) Collection, 1947-1985, (University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections)