Charles W. Nash
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles W. Nash (January 28, 1864 — June 6, 1948) was a United States automobile entrepreneur.
Nash was born to a farming family in DeKalb, Illinois. He worked his way up from a poor farm-hand to a shepherd to the owner of hay-bailing machinery, then moved to Flint, Michigan where he became a supervisor at a carriage factory in 1890.
In 1897 he had a chance to drive an early automobile, and became very interested in the commercial potential of this young device.
Nash co-founded Buick Motor Company with David D. Buick and William C. Durant, and in 1908 became Buick's president and general manager.
In 1910 he was hired as general manager of General Motors. He put this previously debt-ridden company on secure financial footing, but his reluctance to pay dividends to shareholders resulted in Nash being voted out of his position in 1915.
Charles Nash, who took control of General Motors in 1910 from William Durant, was fired by him when Durant regained control in 1916.
Charles Nash then resolved never again to work for someone else. He bought out the Jeffery Motor Company in August 1916 and in 1917 re-named it as Nash Motors.
Nash Motors was very successful marketing cars to North America's middle class.
In addition to running Nash Motors, Charles Nash was also president of the luxury car company LaFayette Motors until that company was bought out by Nash Motors in 1924.
Charles W. Nash retired in 1936, and 12 years later died at the age of 84 in Beverly Hills, California. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale.
[edit] Timeline
- 1910 — Charles Nash takes control of General Motors from William Durant.
- 1916 — William Durant re-gains control of General Motors and fires Charles Nash.
- 1916 — Charles Nash buys the Thomas B. Jeffery Company.
- 1917 — Thomas B. Jeffery Company is re-named Nash Motors.
| Preceded by Thomas Neal |
President General Motors 1912 – 1916 |
Succeeded by William C. Durant |
[edit] External links
- Nash biography at kenoshacounty.com
- Nash biography at pair.com
- reproduction of Nash's obituary from Nash Motors in house newspaper
[edit] See also
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| Nash Motors | ||
| 1916 - 1957 Historic: | ||
| Nash: | | 600 | Airflyte | Advanced Six | Ambassador | Nash-Healey | La Fayette | Metropolitan | Rambler | Rebel | Statesman | |
| Affiliated: | | Ajax | American Motors | Hudson | Nash-Kelvinator | Rambler (AMC) | |
