Charles Albert Coffin (December 31, 1844 – July 14, 1926) was an American businessman who was the co-founder and first president of General Electric corporation.
He was born in Fairfield, Maine, the son of Albert Coffin and his wife Anstrus (Varney). He married Caroline Russell of Holbrook, Massachusetts, and had three children.
Careeredit
At age 18, he moved to Lynn, Massachusetts, to join his uncle Charles E. Coffin and his shoe company, at which he spent the next twenty years. Eventually he established his own shoe factory named Coffin and Clough in Lynn.[1]
Under Coffin, Thomson-Houston deployed power plants in the South, including two in Atlanta, Georgia, to run the electric lighting and in 1889, Joel Hurt's electric streetcar line.[5]
When General Electric was formed from Thomson-Houston and Edison's companies, Coffin was its first chief executive officer. The company was tested quickly during the Panic of 1893, where Coffin negotiated with New York banks to advance money in exchange for GE-owned utility stocks.[1]
He established a duopoly of important electric patents with Westinghouse Electric in the late 1890s, and in 1901 established a research laboratory for the company.[6] Suggested by Charles Proteus Steinmetz, this was the first industrial research lab in the US.[7] He supported GE engineers in the adaptation and development of the Curtis steam turbine, which advanced electric power generation. He retired from the board in 1922, and retained a large amount of GE stock. Upon his death in 1926, he was one of the wealthiest men in the world.
^. Time. July 26, 1926. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
^Gifford, Jonathan (September 15, 2013). 100 Great Business Leaders: Of the world's most admired companies. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd. p. 34-35. ISBN9789814484688.
^"Elihu Thomson". The Immigrant Learning Center. Retrieved October 19, 2019. Between 1870 and 1880 Thomson started experimenting with electricity with fellow teacher Edwin J. Houston.
^Garrett, Franklin, Atlanta and Its Environs, 1954, Vol.II, p.189
^Charles A. Coffin | 20th Century American Leaders Database | Leadership at www.hbs.edu
^. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009.
Further readingedit
Ingham, John N. Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders. Charles A. Coffin. Published 1983 Greenwood Publishing Group. Page 173
Hammond, John W. Men and Volts: The Story of General Electric. Published 1941.
Passer, Harold C. The Electrical Manufacturers, 1875-1900. Published 1953
Collins, Jim. The 10 Greatest CEOs of All Time. The 10 Greatest CEOs Of All Time What these extraordinary leaders can teach today's troubled executives. - July 21, 2003
charles, coffin, other, people, with, same, name, charles, coffin, disambiguation, charles, albert, coffin, december, 1844, july, 1926, american, businessman, founder, first, president, general, electric, corporation, borncharles, albert, coffin, 1844, decembe. For other people with the same name see Charles Coffin disambiguation Charles Albert Coffin December 31 1844 July 14 1926 was an American businessman who was the co founder and first president of General Electric corporation Charles A CoffinBornCharles Albert Coffin 1844 12 31 December 31 1844Fairfield Maine USDiedJuly 14 1926 1926 07 14 aged 81 Locust Valley New York USResting placeLocust Valley Cemetery Locust Valley New York U S OrganizationGeneral Electric Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 References 4 Further readingEarly life editHe was born in Fairfield Maine the son of Albert Coffin and his wife Anstrus Varney He married Caroline Russell of Holbrook Massachusetts and had three children Career editAt age 18 he moved to Lynn Massachusetts to join his uncle Charles E Coffin and his shoe company at which he spent the next twenty years Eventually he established his own shoe factory named Coffin and Clough in Lynn 1 In 1883 he was approached by another Lynn businessman Silas A Barton to bring to town a struggling electric company from New Britain Connecticut finance it and lead it 2 With the engineering work of Elihu Thomson and Edwin J Houston 3 4 Coffin was able to build up the company renamed Thomson Houston Electric Company to be an equal to Thomas Edison s companies Under Coffin Thomson Houston deployed power plants in the South including two in Atlanta Georgia to run the electric lighting and in 1889 Joel Hurt s electric streetcar line 5 When General Electric was formed from Thomson Houston and Edison s companies Coffin was its first chief executive officer The company was tested quickly during the Panic of 1893 where Coffin negotiated with New York banks to advance money in exchange for GE owned utility stocks 1 He established a duopoly of important electric patents with Westinghouse Electric in the late 1890s and in 1901 established a research laboratory for the company 6 Suggested by Charles Proteus Steinmetz this was the first industrial research lab in the US 7 He supported GE engineers in the adaptation and development of the Curtis steam turbine which advanced electric power generation He retired from the board in 1922 and retained a large amount of GE stock Upon his death in 1926 he was one of the wealthiest men in the world References edit a b Charles A Coffin Archived March 17 2007 at the Wayback Machine Coffin Time July 26 1926 Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved August 9 2008 Gifford Jonathan September 15 2013 100 Great Business Leaders Of the world s most admired companies Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd p 34 35 ISBN 9789814484688 Elihu Thomson The Immigrant Learning Center Retrieved October 19 2019 Between 1870 and 1880 Thomson started experimenting with electricity with fellow teacher Edwin J Houston Garrett Franklin Atlanta and Its Environs 1954 Vol II p 189 Charles A Coffin 20th Century American Leaders Database Leadership at www hbs edu About Us History Archived from the original on February 23 2009 Further reading editIngham John N Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders Charles A Coffin Published 1983 Greenwood Publishing Group Page 173 Hammond John W Men and Volts The Story of General Electric Published 1941 Passer Harold C The Electrical Manufacturers 1875 1900 Published 1953 Collins Jim The 10 Greatest CEOs of All Time The 10 Greatest CEOs Of All Time What these extraordinary leaders can teach today s troubled executives July 21 2003 Charles A Coffin Biography at www ge com Business positions Preceded by none President of General Electric1892 1912 Succeeded byEdwin Rice Preceded by none Chairman of General Electric1913 1922 Succeeded byOwen Young Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles A Coffin amp oldid 1218428078, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
