born , Dec. 8, 1861, Boston, Mass., U.S.
died March 18, 1947, New York, N.Y.
U.S. industrialist, founder of General Motors Corp.
He established a carriage company in 1886 and joined the new but failing Buick Motor Car Co. (founded by David Buick in 1902) in 1903–04, quickly reviving it. In 1908 he brought together several automotive manufacturers to form the General Motors Co. He lost control of the company two years later. With Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) he founded the Chevrolet Motor Co., which acquired control of General Motors in 1915. As president of General Motors Corp. until 1920, he presided over its steady expansion.