In 1940, at age 23, he started up a scientific research company, renting a two-story building next to a junk yard along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.[1] Reed lived in McLean, Virginia, for 40 years.
He was the author of several books, including the best-selling The Art of M & A (co-authored with his daughter, Alexandra Lajoux), and The Toxic Executive.
Along with Manley St. Denis, Johann Martinek, Gordon Yeh, James Ahlgren and others, he worked on issues ranging from safe land mine removal to electrocardiography to language learning laboratories, obtaining scores of patents in the process.
Based on his work experience, he was admitted to membership in the Society of Naval Architects and received certification as a Professional Engineer (P.E.).
In the 1960s, he was actively involved in social issues, sponsoring programs to encourage inner-city entrepreneurship and writing an article on the poor of Appalachia.