Gerard Swope
Gerard Swope (born December 1, 1872 in St. Louis , Missouri , † November 20, 1957 in New York City ) was an American business manager .
Life
Gerard Swope came from a Jewish family. His brother was the journalist Herbert Bayard Swope .
From 1922 to 1940 and from 1942 to 1945 he was President of General Electric (GE). He was particularly committed to improving working conditions in his company. He was followed in this office by Charles Edward Wilson (1876–1972). When he was appointed to the office of vice chairman of the war production board (WPB), which was important for the war effort, Swope returned from retirement and took over the presidency again at GE until Wilson could return.
Swope was married to Mary Dayton Hill, who died in 1955. With her he had four children, including the astronomer Henrietta Hill Swope and the photographer John Swope , who married the actress Dorothy McGuire .
Prizes and awards (selection)
- Knight of the Legion of Honor , France
- Hoover medal
- Name giver for the Swope Glacier in Antarctica
The Forbes Magazine put Swope in 2005 to rank 20 of the most influential businessmen of all time.
Web links
- immigrantentrepreneurship.org: Full biography (accessed July 16, 2013)
- Obituary in the New York Times (accessed July 16, 2013)
literature
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Swope, Gerard |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American manager |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 1, 1872 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | St. Louis , Missouri |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 20, 1957 |
| Place of death | New York City |