Jack Welch (1935–2020)

He joined GE in 1960. In 1981, he became the eighth chairman & CEO. He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut. (Publisher Provided) John Francis "Jack" Welch, Jr. was born on November 19, 1935 in Massachusetts. He is a retired American business executive, author and chemical engineer. He was chairman and toon meer CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001. During his tenure at GE, the company's value rose 4,000%. In 2006, Welch's net worth was estimated at $720 million. When he retired from GE he took a severance payment of $417 million, the largest such payment in history. Welch was accepted to University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he studied chemical engineering. Welch graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, turning down multiple corporate offers in order to attend graduate school at the University of Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1960 with a Master's degree and a PhD in chemical engineering. Welch joined General Electric in 1960. He worked as a junior chemical engineer in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. By 1968, Welch became the vice president and head of GE's plastics division. Not soon after, in 1971, Welch also became the vice president of GE's metallurgical and chemical divisions. By 1973, Welch was named the head of strategic planning for GE. In 1981, Welch became GE's youngest chairman and CEO. Welch has authored several books throughout his career. In 2015 his title TheReal-Life MBA: Your No-BS Guide to Winning the Game, Building a Team, and Growing Your Career which he wrote wit his wife, made the New York Times Best Seller List. (Bowker Author Biography) toon minder