- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
John F. Welch, Jr.
General Electric Company
1981 - 2001
Fabricated Goods
b. 1935
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | University of Massachusetts |
| Graduate | MS, University of Illinois & PhD University of Illinois |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1935 |
| Birthplace | Massachusetts (MA) |
| Race | White |
| Father | White Collar Worker |
Though he had the full support of GE’s board, Welch’s first few years as CEO consisted of extensive cost cutting plans, some of which involved controversial divestitures of GE subsidiaries. Having successfully streamlined the company, Welch had his employees focus on making GE products and services number one or number two in their respective industries. Welch helped GE become one of the most efficient conglomerates of its time, being an industry leader in everything from aircraft engines to television (NBC).