business executiveBorn: 1930Birthplace: South Africa After studying at Rhodes University, he began his career with the Chloride Group in Africa in 1951, becoming a general manager of its Alkaline…
financier, railroad executiveBorn: 2/25/1848Birthplace: Hempstead, N.Y. He began his career on Wall Street, but became involved in railroads when he married Mary Averell, whose father was president…
candy manufacturerBorn: 1904 The son of the man who invented the Milky Way candy bar, Forrest Mars left the country after a disagreement with his father. The younger Mars settled in Britain and…
financier, arts patron, conservationistBorn: October 4, 1916Birthplace: Graaff-Reinet, South AfricaDied: January 18, 2006 After studying and teaching chemistry at Pretoria University, he entered…
physicist, chemistBorn: 1852Birthplace: New Haven, Conn. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Bouchet was the first African American to graduate (1874) from Yale College. In 1876, upon receiving his Ph.…
aircraft manufacturerBorn: 1881Birthplace: Detroit, Mich. Having begun his career working in the lumber industry, in 1916 he formed the Pacific Aero Products Company. He organized a company in 1927…
Born: 1921Birthplace: Gloucester County, N.J. Catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons with a crystalline zeolite catalyst composite—Plank and Rosinski developed the first commercially useful zeolite…
Born: 1856Birthplace: Washington, Penn. Carborundum—Carborundum is the hardest surface made by humans and is second only to the diamond's hardness. Acheson created carborundum (silicon-carbide) by…
Born: 1908Birthplace: Bristol, Pa. Polyurethane—The Hanford and Holmes process is the basis today for the manufacture of all polyurethane. Polyurethane is used as an upholstery material, heat…
actor, producerBorn: 2/24/1947Birthplace: Los Angeles After a short stint as a rock singer, Olmos gained critical attention for his role in the musical Zoot Suit (1978–80). For his performance as…
