(1863-1947)
Ford, considered the father of the auto industry, launched a business that revolutionized American life perhaps more than any other. He founded Ford Motor Co. in 1903 and five years later introduced the Model T, the first car to target the mass market. Ford became the biggest automobile producer in the world, manufacturing low-cost automobiles by cutting production costs, controlling raw materials and using an assembly line. When his factory workers began quitting because of the
(1955-present)
The world’s wealthiest man and most famous Harvard University dropout, Gates has become the symbol of the high-tech revolution and the new era of young entrepreneurs revolutionizing American business. He and friend Paul Allen began developing computer software in 1975 and went on to form Microsoft. The fledgling company licensed its MS-DOS operating system to IBM for use on its first personal computer, the IBM PC, which set the standard for the PC industry, and MS-DOS became
(1901-1966)
When this aspiring young cartoonist returned home after serving as an American Red Cross truck driver during World War I, he and a partner set up a movie studio that made short animated films. A film starring his mischievous creation, Mickey Mouse, which featured a novel technology in movies – sound – caused a sensation. This cartoon king went on to produce scores of animated features and other entertainment as well as plan a fantasy amusement park, Disney-land. His savvy
