Life After GE
:: BW Interview with Jack Welch

He may call himself a pensioner, but Jack Welch, 68, has hardly retired from public life. The former General Electric Co. (GE ) chairman, who stepped down in September, 2001, continues to consult and speak on everything from New York City schools to corruption in Corporate America. But the man regarded as one of the great CEOs in history has endured questions over his generous pension benefits from GE, messy divorce, and romance with Suzy Wetlaufer, who is now his fiancée. They are working on a book called Winning, due out next year. Welch sat down with Editor-in-Chief Stephen B. Shepard on Feb. 19 as part of the Captains of Industry series at New York's 92nd Street Y. Here is one notable excerpt:

"Is George Bush really good for Big Business?
The big myth is that George Bush is great for Big Business. I don't see this great connection. I never did, by the way. I never saw Ronald Reagan do it. I never saw [Bush's] father do it. Without Bill Clinton, we wouldn't have had NAFTA. Without the North American Free Trade Agreement, we would have been really behind the eight ball in competitiveness.

So Bill Clinton did a lot for business?
Yes.

You heard it here first. "

source: BW Online | March 8, 2004 | Life After GE? And How