Jack Welch – Bio, Net Worth, GE, CEO, Books, Quotes, Education, Death, Death Cause, Death Date, Funeral, Wife, Kids, Welsh, Age, Height, Facts, Wiki

Jack Welch was the chairman and CEO of General Electric for two decades. Now retired, the business executive is a qualified chemical engineer who began his career in a junior position at General Electric. Though he was not happy during his initial years at the company, he eventually began to enjoy his work and became the head of GE’s entire plastics division within a few years of joining. From there he went from success to success and his long and fruitful journey with the company finally culminated in his being selected the CEO. 

Under his leadership, GE increased its market share manifold and soon many CEOs of other companies too began following his policies. He redefined the concept of leadership and created a model for others to follow. Despite being such a successful CEO, he was not without his detractors who felt he was too rigid and uncaring towards the working-class employees as he was known to dismiss employees frequently. His brilliant leadership skills prompted him to write books on the very subject, many of which became international bestsellers.

What is Jack Welch known for?

• An American business executive, chemical engineer, and writer. 

Where was Jack Welch born?

Recalling his early life, Jack Welch was born in Massachusetts, the United States in the year 1935. He was born to John Welch who was a railroad conductor and Grace who was a housewife. He was born as an only child to his parents. He was interested in business from a very young age.

During summer he worked as a shoe salesman, golf caddy, and a newspaper boy. 

Where did Jack Welch go to college?

Concerning his education, Jack attended Salem High School. In school, he was an athlete and played other games such as football, hockey, and baseball. He later joined the University of Massachusetts. 

In 1957, he graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in chemical engineering. He then joined the University of Illinois where he earned a Master’s Degree. In 1960, he obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the university.

What is Jack Welch doing?

• Moving towards his career, Jack joined General Electric in 1960 as a junior chemical engineer in the plastics division. He worked diligently for a year and was hoping for a big raise. When he got a raise of less than what he had expected, he was disappointed and planned to quit.
• He was persuaded to stay by an executive, Reuben Gutoff, and reluctantly agreed. An incident that happened in 1963 almost cost him the job. There was an explosion at a factory building under his management and he was almost fired for this.
• He continued working for GE and was made the vice president and head of GE’s entire plastics division in 1968, just eight years after he had joined the company in a junior position.
• The plastics division, at that time a $26 million operation, grew rapidly under his management. He oversaw the production and marketing of Lexan and Noryl, which were plastic products, developed in the GE labs.
• In 1971, He also became the vice president of GE’s metallurgical and chemical divisions. His background in chemical engineering combined with his astute business acumen made him a brilliant manager.
• Throughout the 1970s, he worked relentlessly and was promoted from one position to another in quick succession, managing each challenging post with the same dedication and determination.
• In 1973, he was appointed as the head of strategic planning for GE. He held this position for the next six years, managing a $2 billion portfolio of businesses.
• He was named the vice president and head of Consumer Products and Services Division in 1977; he became the Vice-Chairman in 1979. Within two decades of joining GE, he had risen through various ranks to attain one of the topmost positions.
• It was announced in 1980 that Jack Welch would succeed Reginald H. Jones as the CEO. In 1981 the 45-year-old Welch took over the reins from his predecessor to become General Electric’s youngest chairman and CEO.
• He was an able leader, though also considered brutal for his firing policies. He would frequently fire employees and sometimes could be too strict on them. Yet his leadership strategies worked wonders and the company increased its revenues manifold over the years.
• Many of his management and leadership strategies, including his Rank and Yank policy became very popular and soon other companies were following him.
• He served as the CEO and chairman of the company for 20 years from 1981 till his retirement in 2001. The company’s value rose 4000% during his tenure and he was hailed as one of the greatest ever business leaders in the US.
• Besides this, He is also an author who has written several books on management and leadership, including the 2005 bestseller, Winning which he co-wrote with his third wife, Suzy.
• In 2009, He founded the Jack Welch Management Institute (JWMI), a program at Chancellor University that offered an online executive Master of Business Administration.
• In 2012, He and his third wife, Suzy Welch, quit their business associations with Fortune magazine and Reuters news service after Fortune published an article which criticized his tweet shortly before the 2012 election that alleged the Obama administration manipulated certain economic statistics, as well as another article which elucidated the 100,000 jobs GE lost during his tenure as CEO.
• In December 2016, He joined a business forum assembled by then president-elect Donald Trump to provide strategic and policy advice on economic issues.
• As per his wife’s statement, He died from kidney failure at his home in New York City on March 1st, 2020, at age 84. 

Who is Jack Welch married to?

Reflecting on his personal life, Jack married Carolyn Osburn in 1959 and had four children with her. The couple divorced after 28 years of marriage in 1987. He married for the second time in 1989. His second wife, Jane Beasley, was a lawyer. This marriage too ended in divorce in 2003 after his wife found about his affair with Suzy Wetlaufer whom he would eventually marry. He married Suzy in 2004 and is currently married to her.

What is Jack Welch’s net worth?

Being a business executive, Jack earns an impressive amount of money and salary from his multiple professions. Based on some online reports, his estimate net worth said to be $850 million at the time of his death. However, his salary and asset details are yet to be disclosed.

How tall is Jack Welch?

Before his death, Jack stands a height of 5 feet 7 inches and weighs around 85 Kg. Similarly, he has a pair of dark brown eyes and white hair color. Further, his body measures 40-36-16 inches (Chest, Waist, and Biceps) and she used 8 (US).