Charles Williams Nash
Charles Warren Nash ( born January 28, 1864 in Cortland, Illinois, USA, † June 6, 1948 in Beverly Hills, California ) was an American automobile entrepreneur and president of General Motors.
The first years
Nash was born into a farming family in Cortland (Illinois), where is the Route 38 ( Lincoln Highway) today. After the divorce of his parents in his 6 years he worked as harvest workers in Michigan. Later he became a shepherd for the owner of a Heubindemaschine; then he moved to Flint ( Michigan) to where he joined the Durant - Dort- wagon factory which belonged to William C. Durant. From 1890 he headed the operation.
1897, offered him the opportunity to drive one of the first automobiles, and this sparked his interest in the economic potential of this new branch of industry.
In the automotive industry
Together with David D. Buick and William C. Durant founded Nash the Buick Motor Company. The company was the first of what General Motors was incorporated into the newly founded by William Durant in November 1908. Nash was from 1908 to November 1912 its president and CEO. His successor at Buick was Walter P. Chrysler.
Charles Nash was appointed by General Motors management to the Managing Director of the Group. He reorganized the previously highly indebted company. His refusal, however, pay dividends to shareholders, resulted in being voted out from that office in 1915. Nash, who replaced 1910 William Durant as a strong man at GM, has now been dismissed from this very Durant, as this 1916 again regained control of the company.
Nash then wanted to work for someone else ever again. In August 1916 he bought Charles Jeffery Thomas B. Jeffery Company in Kenosha (Wisconsin ), which had been founded by Father Thomas B. Jeffery Jeffery. In 1917, he renamed it to Nash Motors. His company sold a very successful car for the American middle class. In addition to involvement in his own company, Nash was also president of the luxury car manufacturer LaFayette Motors, Nash Motors to this company took over in 1924.
The retreat
Charles W. Nash went into retirement in 1936. His desire successor at the car manufacturer named after him was George W. Mason, Walter Chrysler recommended. Even 12 years lived Nash retired in Beverly Hills, before he died at the age of 84 years.
It is located at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery buried in Glendale ( California).
Swell
- Kimes, Beverly Rae ( editor ) and Clark, Henry Austin, jr ". The Standard Catalogue of American Cars " 2nd edition, Krause Publications, Iola WI 54990, USA (1985 ), ISBN 0-87341-111-0, pp. 151-152
- Sloan, Alfred P.: . '' My Years with General Motors '' 2nd edition (Sept. 1965), Verlag Moderne Industrie (German license edition of'' My Years With General Motors '')