Charles E. Wilson

Charles Edward Wilson (November 18, 1886 – January 3, 1972) was a CEO of General Electric. During World War II, he served as Executive Vice Chairman of the War Production Board. After leaving GE, he worked at Grace until his retirement in 1956.

Early life Wilson left school at the age of 12 to work as a stock boy at the Sprague Electrical Works, which was acquired by the General Electric Company. He also served President Harry S. Truman as the chairman of the blue-ribbon President's Committee on Civil Rights in 1946–47. The committee recommended new civil rights legislation to protect "all parts of our population." In December 1950, Wilson left GE again to serve Truman as director of the new Office of Defense Mobilization,