Jack Welch (November 19, 1935 – March 1, 2020) was a legendary business executive and chemical engineer who served as Chairman & CEO of General Electric (GE) from 1981 to 2001. Under his leadership, GE transformed from a traditional manufacturing giant into a diversified powerhouse—growing its market value from approximately $12 billion to over $400 billion—and earning Welch the title of “Manager of the Century” by Fortune in 1999.

Born in Peabody, Massachusetts, Welch earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and both an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He joined GE in 1960, rising through roles in plastics and materials before being named CEO in 1981.

Welch was known for his aggressive restructuring philosophy—divesting underperforming units, mandating that each business be first or second in its market, and implementing Six Sigma to improve quality. He championed a high-performance, meritocratic culture, famously eliminating the lowest-performing 10% of managers annually and encouraging the top performers with rewards.

After retiring from GE in 2001, Welch took on roles as a business advisor, speaking regularly and co-authoring bestsellers like Winning and Straight from the Gut. He also founded the Jack Welch Management Institute—an online MBA program—serving as its Executive Chairman.

Welch passed away on March 1, 2020, due to kidney failure