Charles W. Nash

Charles W. Nash
Born	Charles Williams Nash (1864-01-28)January 28, 1864 Cortland, Illinois
Died	June 6, 1948(1948-06-06) (aged 84) Beverly Hills, California
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Automobile industry entrepreneur and executive
Years active	1890–1936
Employers	General Motors Nash Motors
Known for	General manager of Buick 5th president of General Motors Established Nash Motors
Spouse	Jessie Halleck
Awards	1946: "Ten pioneers" Automotive Hall of Fame[1] 1975: Inductee Automotive Hall of Fame[2]

Charles Williams Nash (28 January 1864 – 6 June 1948) was an American automobile entrepreneur who served as an executive in the automotive industry. He played a significant role in building up General Motors as its fifth president. In 1916, he bought Thomas B. Jeffery Company, makers of the popular Rambler automobile, and renamed it Nash Motors. The resulting firm played an independent role in an automobile industry increasingly dominated by the Big Three: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler.

Nash's profits came from focusing on one well-designed car in the upper-medium price range. He bought several distressed companies in Wisconsin, merging them and installing advanced managerial accounting procedures while cutting costs and focusing on long-term growth. He retired as president in 1932, but remained chairman of the board. He facilitated the merger in 1937 with Kelvinator, a manufacturer of refrigerators, home appliances, and commercial refrigeration.