5 Greatest Project Managers in American History

5 FAMOUS PROJECT MANAGERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED APRIL 26, 1822 - AUGUST 28, 1903 The father of American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted was 35 when he co-designed his first park, New York's Central Park, in 1857. Olmsted, his sons, and their successor firm designed over 6,000 landscapes for the most famous parks in North America. THEODORE JUDAH MARCH 4, 1826-NOVEMBER 2, 1863 As the chief engineer for the Central Pacific Railroad, Judah surveyed the route over the Sierra Nevada mountains. This was a complex rail path that needed to safely climb and descent 7,000 feet over the summit, while never exceeding a slope of 105 feet in any single mile. JOHN FINDLEY WALLACE SEPTEMBER 10, 1852 – JULY 3, 1921 The first of three project managers hired for the Panama Canal, Wallace was paid $25,000 a year. At the time, this was the second largest salary in the American government, after the President's. SAMUEL C. PHILLIPS FEBRUARY 19, 1921–JANUARY 31, 1990 This four-star general was also described as a “talented manager" who put in 70-80 hour work weeks while developing the Air Force's Minuteman program and overseeing NASA's Apollo program. STEVE JOBS FEBRUARY 24, 1955 OCTOBER 5, 2011 Steve Jobs insisted that every project at Apple had a DRI – a directly responsible individual. After his death, it was reported that Jobs left behind a plan with 4 years' worth of new products. iPhone Sources: ELiquidPlanner PMStudents.com, Sfmuseum.net, New York Times, Olmsted.org, Pbs.org 5 FAMOUS PROJECT MANAGERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED APRIL 26, 1822 - AUGUST 28, 1903 The father of American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted was 35 when he co-designed his first park, New York's Central Park, in 1857. Olmsted, his sons, and their successor firm designed over 6,000 landscapes for the most famous parks in North America. THEODORE JUDAH MARCH 4, 1826-NOVEMBER 2, 1863 As the chief engineer for the Central Pacific Railroad, Judah surveyed the route over the Sierra Nevada mountains. This was a complex rail path that needed to safely climb and descent 7,000 feet over the summit, while never exceeding a slope of 105 feet in any single mile. JOHN FINDLEY WALLACE SEPTEMBER 10, 1852 – JULY 3, 1921 The first of three project managers hired for the Panama Canal, Wallace was paid $25,000 a year. At the time, this was the second largest salary in the American government, after the President's. SAMUEL C. PHILLIPS FEBRUARY 19, 1921–JANUARY 31, 1990 This four-star general was also described as a “talented manager" who put in 70-80 hour work weeks while developing the Air Force's Minuteman program and overseeing NASA's Apollo program. STEVE JOBS FEBRUARY 24, 1955 OCTOBER 5, 2011 Steve Jobs insisted that every project at Apple had a DRI – a directly responsible individual. After his death, it was reported that Jobs left behind a plan with 4 years' worth of new products. iPhone Sources: ELiquidPlanner PMStudents.com, Sfmuseum.net, New York Times, Olmsted.org, Pbs.org