Neal, Thomas
Thomas Neal was the fourth person to serve as president of General Motors. He took over this role on January 26, 1911 when James J. Storrow stepped down as interim president following the banker’s coup which wrested control of the company from founder William C. Durant.
Before being asked to join General Motors by the controlling bankers, Neal helped organize Acme White Lead & Color Works in 1884. Acme was a Detroit-based manufacturer of paint. He went on to serve as secretary and general manager until 1911. From 1911 to 1924, he served chairman of Acme's finance committee.
During Neal’s time as president of General Motors, the General Motors Export Company, later General Motors Overseas Operations, was founded. The board placed Neal as president this enterprise as well.
Neal served as president of General Motors until November 19, 1912 when he was elected to the position of Chairman of the Board. He was the first person in GM history to hold this title. Neal led the company from this position for three years until the dissolution of the banker’s trust in 1915. At this time, Billy Durant had forged a financial position that allowed him to reassert his control over the company he founded. Neal was replaced as Chairman of the Board on November 16, 1915 by Pierre S. duPont.
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