In honor of...
Dr. Harrison Gough
1921 - 2014
On May 4th, 2014, we lost Harrison G. Gough, PhD, our co-founding father at CPP, Inc., at the age of 93. Dr. Gough leaves behind a remarkable legacy of dedication, kindness, caring, creativity, and, of course, his many extraordinary contributions to the field of psychology—including the California Psychological Inventory™ (CPI™) assessment. All of us at CPP are saddened by his passing but honored to carry on his work and his vision to “help millions of people, including our employees, develop themselves.”
Harrison Gough received his bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees from the University of Minnesota, in 1942, 1947, and 1949, respectively. After completing his PhD degree, he joined the faculty of the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served with distinction until his retirement in 1986. In his lifetime, he published more than 200 research papers, chapters, manuals, books, and reviews, and received numerous awards.
During World War II, Dr. Gough served in the U.S. armed forces. His first assignment was to the Air Crew Selection Program, considered by many psychologists to be the outstanding example of applied psychology in the history of the field. There, he would later remark, he learned that psychological tests, properly used, could forecast complex and important outcomes. Later he was assigned to a large military hospital as a clinical psychologist.
After the war, Dr. Gough developed the CPI™ instrument with one main goal: to meet the high psychometric standards set by the aviation selection program, but always with primary emphasis on understanding the individual respondent. With this goal in mind, Dr. Gough set out to find a way to publish the CPI tool.
In 1956, Dr. Gough formed a lifelong partnership with his friend and colleague John D. (Jack) Black, PhD, then Director of Counseling and Testing Services at Stanford University, to publish the CPI assessment. Together they co-founded Consulting Psychologists Press (now CPP, Inc.), with the CPI assessment as its first product. To date, the CPI tool has helped thousands of individuals, including many executives and leaders, reach their full potential by targeting key areas of development.
In the 58 years since its inception, CPP has grown and flourished, thanks in part to Dr. Gough’s numerous contributions, both as a founder and as a member of the CPP Board of Directors for 40 years (1956–1996). Dr. Gough’s vision of creating a company culture that promotes growth and inspiration guides the company to this day. Dr. Gough touched many lives, and, as you will read in the stories we share about him, his example of making a difference lives on through all of us. I speak for everyone at CPP when I extend my condolences to Dr. Gough’s wife, Kathryn, and his daughter, Jane Rhodes.
I count myself very fortunate to have had the honor and privilege of knowing Harrison Gough. In addition to being brilliant, he was also a kind, caring, and loving family man. It always made me feel good just to be around Harrison and his wife, Kathryn, and to witness the love they had for each other and for their family. Dr. Gough was a giant in his field, and to us, more personally, he was a major force in the creation of CPP. He will be sorely missed by many, myself included.
~ Jeff Hayes, President & CEO, CPP, Inc.
Accomplishments/Awards
- 1960–1961: President of California State Psychological Association
- 1965: Guggenheim Foundation fellowship
- 1986: Professor of Psychology Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley
- 2001: Outstanding Achievement Award, presented by University of Minnesota Alumni Association
- 2001: Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP) fellowship for outstanding contributions in normal personality measurement
- 2004: Jack Block Award, presented by Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) for distinguished contributions in personality psychology
Stories from loved ones and dear friends
Please email Karen Gonzalez at kgonzalez@cpp.com to share your memories of Dr. Gough with us!
Stories
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I can't think of anyone who came close to his debonair and courtly style, and his incredible intelligence, knowledge, and wit. He knew so much, and could explain it so clearly, that I always felt I was getting an amazing education whenever I asked him a question. Continue reading...
– Christina Maslach, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley and CPP Board of Directors Member
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This is the story of a couple of families who built a wonderful relationship. Harrison gave so much to it as well as to his professional life. Continue reading...
- Dorothy Black, Dear Friend of Dr. Gough
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I have known Harrison to be consistently committed, creative, incisive, and gracious, with his work powered by a rare genius of all things bearing on the human personality. Continue reading...
- Lee Langhammer Law, CPP, Inc.
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After his “retirement”, he invested significant efforts to develop new versions of the CPI and related products, and his professional contributions have proven critical to the ongoing success of this fantastic assessment. Continue reading...
- Cal Finch, CPP, Inc.
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We continue to watch the impact of Dr. Gough’s lifetime of research and the use of the CPI product family generate countless insights around the world to help support human development and the success of organizations. Continue reading...
- Nicole Trapasso, CPP, Inc.
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Dr. Gough’s contributions are apparent not only in my life, but so many people’s day-to-day lives as well. They have helped countless others to become better versions of ourselves while always continuing to strive for more. Continue reading...
- Karen Gonzalez, CPP, Inc.
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Today we recognize [the CPI 260 assessment] as an important piece of Harrison’s legacy to the field of personality assessment. Continue reading...
- Wayne Cascio, Ph.D., CPP Board Member and Professor of Management, University of Colorado Denver
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His dedication to empirical psychology has never been surpassed. I think that the legacy of the CPI will stand among Dr. Gough’s many achievements for years to come. Continue reading...
- Rich Thompson, CPP, Inc.
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Anyone who ever met, spoke, or worked with Dr. Harrison Gough will attest to his remarkable professional energy, his ability to focus, and his never-ending enthusiasm. Like so many, I marveled at the breadth and depth of his knowledge and experience – his wisdom, really. To me, he was the consummate scholar. Continue reading...
- Robert Devine, Senior Consultant and CPP Author
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That was Harrison...with his appreciation for the dignity of every person. He was a wonderful man, and I feel very fortunate to have known him. Continue reading...
- Kevin Lanning, Professor, Wilkes Honors College, ex Editor, Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy
Quotes
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"I have known Dr. Harrison Gough since before I joined CPP and have a multitude of stories about him. When I first met him, I was at another company trying to acquire CPP in 1979, but with Harrison’s influence, instead CPP acquired me!"
– Lorin Letendre, President of Carmel River Watershed and former CPP Chairman and CEO
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"Harrison was such a devoted and conscientious professor that although he had chronic back problems, he insisted on teaching his classes regardless of his physical ability to stand -- even if that meant lying down on a table to deliver his lectures!"
– Lorin Letendre, President of Carmel River Watershed and former CPP Chairman and CEO
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"Harrison always believed that continuously bringing in "new blood" was essential for the growth and development of any company. In fact, he felt so strongly about this that, after serving for 40 years on the CPP Board of Directors, he volunteered to retire so that the board could bring on new talent and fresh ideas. He advised the Board on a worthy successor to represent the field of industrial psychology"
– Wayne Cascio, Ph.D., CPP Board Member and Professor of Management, University of Colorado Denver.
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"I asked him how he felt about all the other models of personality like the five factor model and he said he saw the authors like music composers and each has their style and orientation. it is a work of art. The CPI is truly a masterpiece."
- Robb Most, Ph.D., President, Mind Garden
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"… it is his kindness and always teaching and caring about others that I feel inside. He was a genius."
- Robb Most, Ph.D., President, Mind Garden
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