William C. Durant, American businessman, founded General Motors and Chevrolet (d. 1947)
William Crapo Durant (December 8, 1861 – March 18, 1947) was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry. He created a system in which a company held multiple marques – each seemingly independent, with different automobile lines – bound under a unified corporate holding company. Durant, along with Frederic L. Smith, co-founded General Motors, as well as Chevrolet with Louis Chevrolet. He also founded Frigidaire.