GE was born July 12, 1854, to Maria Kilbourn Eastman and George Washington Eastman, a successful fruit farmer in (far) upstate Waterville, New York. Above all else, George Eastman was “his own man”-a unique personality of independent mind. Over the years, he became one of the most important philanthropists in American history, perhaps foreshadowing Bill Gates’s diverse interests. Eastman was the “total entrepreneur”-marketing genius, financial wizard, great employer, both a visionary and a hands-on inventor and designer. The company’s innovations led to mass consumer photography, aerial photography, medical x-rays, and the development of the movie industry, precursors to today’s selfies and even YouTube. Under his leadership, his Eastman Kodak company became a global powerhouse, perhaps still unequaled in its global reach and dominance of an important field. He became interested in the emerging field of photography and went on to “father” amateur photography with his Kodak cameras and film. George Eastman, or “GE” as he was called most of his life, was born to a reasonably prosperous family, but his father died in 1862 when the boy was seven years old, forcing his mother to fend for herself and her three children. Here we build a case for George Eastman as the greatest technology entrepreneur. Too often these discussions lack historical perspective. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and many other names arise. We often discuss our favorite “tech” entrepreneurs. The technologies of today are built upon those of the past, and the superstars of our era would be nothing without the great leaders of the past. This article first appeared on January 24, 2018 in The Archbridge Institute’s ‘ American Originals ‘ series.
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