Series from 2010
CNBC Titans profiles remarkable people who made careers turning the “unthinkable” into reality and companies that grew from humble roots to worldwide …
Irrepressible, irascible, and iconic, Steve Jobs has reigned as the undisputed king of Silicon Valley for the better part of three decades. From his parents’ California garage he launched the personal computer revolution and built Apple into the most envied, and valuable, technology company in the world. From the Macintosh and the iPod, to iTunes and the iPhone, Jobs has personally presided over the creation of dozens of transformational devices, battling hostile corporate boards, cutthroat competitors, and serious illness while securing his legacy as one of the few who dared to “Think Different.”
From the mean streets of Houston to the pinnacle of corporate America, the life of George Foreman would seem unbelievable even by Hollywood standards. As heavyweight champion of the world, Foreman was the darkness to Muhammad Ali’s effervescence. But after regaining his title at the unlikely age of 45, and lending his name to the best-selling grill in history, Foreman reinvented himself as a lovable teddy bear whose business acumen for sponsorship deals was unequaled.
Maria Bartiromo profiles the rise of one of the most influential CEO’s in business. When Jack Welch became General Electric's then-youngest CEO in 1981, he transformed the century old company into a leaner, more flexible, and profitable corporation, increasing its market value by $387 billion and making it the most valuable company in the world. But in doing so Welch trimmed GE's workforce by more than 100,000, earning him the nickname he despised "Neutron Jack" a reference to the bomb designed to remove the people but leave the buildings intact. From growing up in a working class neighborhood in Salem, Mass., to becoming Fortune’s "Manager of the Century" in 1999, CNBC profiles one of the most admired businessmen in history.
Ted Turner is a media mogul, world-class sailor and conservationist. While he doesn’t fit easily into any single category, his story is uniquely American. It made sense that the man known as “The Mouth of the South” would make his fortune with the first 24-hour cable news network. But for Ted Turner, founding CNN, which would become the crown jewel in his rapidly expanding multi-billion dollar media empire, was only one step is his quest for immortality. Turner would shrug off the effects of the most disastrous corporate merger in history to tirelessly pursue his dream of a world without hunger or nuclear weapons.
There is no name more synonymous with real estate -- or self-promotion -- than Donald J. Trump. From the glistening marble of Trump Tower, to NBC’s mega-hit, The Apprentice, the shadow of “The Donald” looms large over his eponymous empire. But behind the bold, brash businessman is a doting father and devoted family man, a far cry from the titan of industry who will do anything to seal a deal and vanquish a competitor.
If the moniker of Mr. Hollywood could be applied to anyone, it would be Merv Griffin. A pioneering singer, talk show host, and media mogul, Griffin was a true iconoclast who created some of the most popular game shows of all time, including Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. And although he was also a Tinseltown personality who knew everybody in the biz, it was his business prowess in real estate that would eventually make him a billionaire.