Biography
Swope was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Jewish immigrant parents. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895. He married Mary Dayton Hill. He was the brother of Herbert Bayard Swope, and father of Henrietta Swope and John Swope, the Hollywood and Life Magazine photographer who married actress Dorothy McGuire.
He is possibly best known for his labor relations innovations. While at GE, Swope implemented numerous labor reforms, making conditions better for employees with voluntary unemployment insurance, profit-sharing, and other programs considered radical in their day. Swope increased sales and overall efficiency (economics), earning high profits and market share, while focusing on employee training, retention, and loyalty. Before the passage of the Wagner Act, Swope "had long supported labor legislation."
He served as Chairman of The Business Council, then known as the Business Advisory Council for the United States Department of Commerce in 1933. He designed FDR's National Recovery Administration program.
He died in New York City in 1957. In 2005, Forbes Magazine ranked Swope as the 20th most influential businessman of all time.
| Preceded by Charles A. Coffin |
President of General Electric 1922 – 1940 |
Succeeded by Charles E. Wilson |
| Preceded by Charles E. Wilson |
President of General Electric 1942 – 1945 |
Succeeded by Charles E. Wilson |
Read more about this topic: Gerard Swope
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