Businesspeople & Entrepreneurs, ROL-STR
Explore the notable businesspeople and entrepreneurs whose ambition, risk-taking, and innovation built companies, transformed industries, and changed the way people live and work.
Businesspeople & Entrepreneurs Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Rolfe, John
John Rolfe was a Virginia planter and colonial official who was the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the Indian......
Rolls, Charles Stewart
Charles Stewart Rolls was a British motorist, aviator, and automobile manufacturer who was one of the founders......
Rong Yiren
Rong Yiren was a Chinese businessman and politician. He was the founder (in 1979) and president of China International......
Rose, Billy
Billy Rose was an American theatrical impresario and composer of more than 50 song hits. Rose became an expert......
Rosenfeld, Irene
Irene Rosenfeld is an American business executive, who was CEO (2006â17) of processed-foods giant Kraft Foods Inc.......
Rosenwald, Julius
Julius Rosenwald was an American merchant and unorthodox philanthropist who opposed the idea of perpetual endowments......
Rothermere, Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount, Baron Rothermere Of Hemsted
Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere was a British newspaper proprietor who, with his brother Alfred......
Royce, Sir Henry, Baronet
Sir Henry Royce, Baronet was an English industrialist who was one of the founders of Rolls-Royce Ltd., manufacturer......
Royster, Vermont
...
Rubinstein, Helena
Helena Rubinstein was a cosmetician, business executive, and philanthropist. She founded Helena Rubinstein, Inc.,......
Ruby, Jack
Jack Ruby was an American nightclub owner who killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the suspected assassin of Pres. John F.......
Russell, William Hepburn
William Hepburn Russell was an American businessman and co-proprietor of Russell, Majors and Waddell, the most......
Russo, Patricia
Patricia Russo is an American businesswoman who served as CEO of Lucent Technologies (later called Alcatel-Lucent)......
Ruto, William
William Ruto is a Kenyan businessman and politician who has served as president of Kenya since 2022. Before that,......
Saatchi, Charles
Charles Saatchi is an Iraqi-born British advertising executive who is perhaps best known as a collector of contemporary......
Sabancı, GĂŒler
GĂŒler Sabancı is a Turkish business executive who was chairperson of the family-owned Sabancı Holding, one of Turkeyâs......
Sadler, Sir Michael Ernest
Sir Michael Ernest Sadler was a world-renowned authority on secondary education and a champion of the English public......
Sage, Russell
Russell Sage was an American financier who played a part in organizing his countryâs railroad and telegraph systems.......
Salomon, Haym
Haym Salomon was a Polish-born American businessman who was a principal financier of the fledgling American republic......
Samuelsson, Marcus
Marcus Samuelsson is an Ethiopian-born chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality. In 1995, as executive......
Sandberg, Sheryl
Sheryl Sandberg is an American technology executive who was the chief operating officer (COO) of the social networking......
Sanders, Harland
Harland Sanders was an American business executive, a self-styled Southern gentleman whose white hair, white goatee,......
Sanderson, Frederick William
Frederick William Sanderson was an English schoolmaster whose reorganization of Oundle School had considerable......
Sanger, George
George Sanger was an English circus impresario who was the proprietor, with his brother John Sanger, of one of......
Sanger, John
John Sanger was an English circus impresario who was, with his brother George Sanger, the proprietor of one of......
Sarnoff, David
David Sarnoff was an American pioneer in the development of both radio and television broadcasting. As a boy in......
Satcher, David
David Satcher is an American medical doctor and public health administrator who was the 16th surgeon general of......
Scardino, Marjorie
Marjorie Scardino is an American-born British businesswoman who was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the British......
Schacht, Hjalmar
Hjalmar Schacht was a German banker and financial expert who achieved international renown by halting the ruinous......
Schiff, Jacob H
Jacob H. Schiff was an American financier and philanthropist. As head of the investment banking firm of Kuhn, Loeb,......
Schmidt, Eric
Eric Schmidt is an American information technology executive who served (2001â11) as chairman and CEO of Google......
Schneider, EugĂšne
EugĂšne Schneider was one of the great industrialists of the 19th century and a prominent figure in French politics.......
Schrempp, JĂŒrgen
JĂŒrgen Schrempp was a German businessman who was chairman of the Daimler-Benz corporation (1995â2005) and the architect......
Schröder, Friedrich Ludwig
Friedrich Ludwig Schröder was a German actor, theatrical manager, and playwright who introduced the plays of William......
Schultz, Howard
Howard Schultz is an American businessman who served as CEO (1987â2000, 2008â17, 2022â ) of Starbucks, a coffeehouse......
Schuman, William
William Schuman was an American composer, educator, and administrator whose symphonies, ballets, and chamber music......
Schwab, Charles M
Charles M. Schwab was an entrepreneur of the early steel industry in the United States, who served as president......
Schwartz, Tony
Tony Schwartz was an American media theorist and advertising pioneer credited with reinventing the genre of political......
Schweitzer, Louis
Louis Schweitzer is a French government official and automotive executive who rose to the post of chairman and......
Scott, Rick
Rick Scott is an American Republican politician who was elected to represent the state of Florida in the U.S. Senate......
Sears, Richard W.
Richard W. Sears was an American merchant who developed his mail-order jewelry business into the huge retail company......
Selfridge, Harry Gordon
Harry Gordon Selfridge was the founder of Selfridges department store in London. The son of a small storekeeper......
Shalala, Donna
Donna Shalala is an American educator, administrator, and public official who was secretary of health and human......
Shanghvi, Dilip
Dilip Shanghvi is an Indian business executive who was the founder (1983) of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.......
Sharif, Nawaz
Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani businessman and politician who served as prime minister in 1990â93, 1997â99, and 2013â17.......
Sharif, Shehbaz
Shehbaz Sharif is a Pakistani businessman and politician, and the second brother of his family to serve as prime......
Shaughnessy, Thomas George Shaughnessy, 1st Baron
Thomas George Shaughnessy, 1st Baron Shaughnessy was a Canadian railway magnate. Born the son of Irish immigrants,......
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley
Richard Brinsley Sheridan was an Irish-born playwright, impresario, orator, and Whig politician. His plays, notably......
Sheridan, Thomas
Thomas Sheridan was an Irish-born actor and theatrical manager and father of the dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan.......
Shibusawa Eiichi, Shishaku
Shishaku Shibusawa Eiichi was a Japanese government official who helped establish the reforms that put Japan on......
Shiller, Robert J.
Robert J. Shiller is an American economist who, with Eugene F. Fama and Lars Peter Hansen, was awarded the 2013......
Shirakawa Masaaki
Shirakawa Masaaki is a Japanese banker and economist who served (2008â13) as governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ),......
Shubert Brothers
Shubert Brothers, dominant managers and producers in American legitimate theatre during the first half of the 20th......
Shuttleworth, Mark
Mark Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur, philanthropist, and space tourist who became the first South......
Sibley, Hiram
Hiram Sibley was a founder and president of the Western Union Telegraph Company. Sibley first ran a machine shop......
Siebert, Muriel
Muriel Siebert was an American business executive whose successful ventures in the realm of high finance helped......
Sills, Beverly
Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano who won international fame many years before her Metropolitan Opera......
Simon, David, Lord Simon of Highbury
David Simon, Lord Simon of Highbury is a British industrialist and politician who served as the chief executive......
Sims, Naomi
Naomi Sims was an American model and business executive who shattered the barrier that had prevented Black models......
Sinclair, Harry F.
Harry F. Sinclair was an American oilman who founded Sinclair Oil Corporation, a major integrated petroleum company......
Sindona, Michele
Michele Sindona was an Italian financier whose financial empire collapsed amid charges of fraud, bribery, and murder.......
Singer, Isaac
Isaac Singer was an American inventor who developed and brought into general use the first practical domestic sewing......
Slater, Samuel
Samuel Slater was an English American businessman and founder of the American cotton-textile industry. As an apprentice......
Slim HelĂș, Carlos
Carlos Slim HelĂș is a Mexican entrepreneur who became one of the wealthiest people in the world. His extensive......
Sloan, Alfred P., Jr.
Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. was an American corporate executive and philanthropist who headed General Motors (GM) as president......
Smith, Dick
Dick Smith is an Australian aviator, filmmaker, explorer, businessman, and publisher, renowned for his aviation......
Smith, Frederick W.
Frederick W. Smith was an American business executive who founded (1971) Federal Express (later called FedEx),......
Smythe, Conn
Conn Smythe was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, manager, and owner who founded the Toronto Maple Leafs in......
Smythe, Sir Thomas
Sir Thomas Smythe was an English entrepreneur in the Virginia Company that founded the Virginia colony. He also......
Son Masayoshi
Son Masayoshi is a Japanese entrepreneur who is chair and chief executive officer of SoftBank Group Corp., a multinational......
Soong, T.V.
T.V. Soong was a financier and official of the Chinese Nationalist government between 1927 and 1949, once reputed......
Sorin, Edward Frederick
Edward Frederick Sorin was a Roman Catholic priest and educator, founder and first president of the University......
Soros, George
George Soros is a Hungarian-born American financier, author, philanthropist, and activist whose success as an investor......
Sparks, Jared
Jared Sparks was an American publisher and editor of the North American Review, biographer, and president of Harvard......
Spaulding, Charles Clinton
Charles Clinton Spaulding was an American business leader who built the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company......
Spaulding, Gilbert R.
Gilbert R. Spaulding was a circus impresario, creator of the âFloating Palace,â an elaborate two-story steamboat......
Speight, George
George Speight is a Fijian businessman who was convicted of treason and sentenced to life in prison for leading......
Sperry, Elmer Ambrose
Elmer Ambrose Sperry was a versatile American inventor and industrialist, best known for his gyroscopic compasses......
Squibb, Edward Robinson
E. R. Squibb was a U.S. chemist and pharmaceutical manufacturer who developed methods of making pure and reliable......
Stanford, Leland
Leland Stanford was an American senator from California and one of the builders of the first U.S. transcontinental......
Stanton, Frank
Frank Stanton was an innovative American radio and television executive, who was president of the Columbia Broadcasting......
Starr, Ken
Ken Starr was an American lawyer best known as the independent counsel (1994â99) who headed the investigation of......
Statler, Ellsworth Milton
Ellsworth Milton Statler was a U.S. hotel owner and the founder of the Statler chain. Statler grew up in Somerset......
Stein, Jules
Jules Stein was an American show-business entrepreneur, best known as the cofounder and president of the entertainment......
Steinbrenner, George
George Steinbrenner was an American businessman and principal owner of the New York Yankees (1973â2010). His exacting......
Stephenson, William
William Stephenson was a Canadian-born millionaire industrialist whose role as Britainâs intelligence chief in......
Sternberg, Sir Sigmund
Sir Sigmund Sternberg was a Hungarian-born British philanthropist and entrepreneur who was known for his efforts......
Stevens, J P
J. P. Stevens was a merchant who founded J.P. Stevens, one of the biggest firms in the American textile industry.......
Stewart, Alexander Turney
Alexander Turney Stewart was an American textile merchant whose dry-goods store grew into a giant wholesale and......
Stewart, Maria
Maria Stewart was an American writer, lecturer, teacher, and activist who was the first known American woman to......
Stewart, Martha
Martha Stewart is an American entrepreneur and domestic lifestyle innovator who built a catering business into......
Steyer, Tom
Tom Steyer is an American business executive and philanthropist who founded (1986) Farallon Capital Management......
Stillman, James
James Stillman was an American financier and banker whose presidency of New Yorkâs National City Bank (now Citibank)......
Stinnes, Hugo
Hugo Stinnes was a German industrialist who emerged after World War I as Germanyâs âbusiness kaiser,â controlling......
Stobart, Mabel St. Clair
Mabel St. Clair Stobart was an English medical relief worker, feminist, and author. Stobart founded the Womenâs......
Stokes, Donald Gresham Stokes, Baron
Donald Gresham Stokes, Baron Stokes was a British automobile executive who presided over the merger that resulted......
Stone, Biz
Biz Stone is an American entrepreneur who, with Evan Williams and Jack Dorsey, founded (2006) Twitter, an online......
Strathcona and Mount Royal, Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron
Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal was a Canadian fur trader, financier, railway promoter,......
Strauss, Lewis
Lewis Strauss was an American businessman and official who was head of the Atomic Energy Commission from 1953 to......