FOUNDATION FOR LIVING

In the bustling industrial heart of America, one man's extraordinary vision transformed not just a city, but the very concept of corporate responsibility and philanthropy. Charles Stewart Mott arrived in Flint, Michigan as a young entrepreneur with little more than ambition and an axle company, yet he would emerge as one of the most influential figures in American business and social reform, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape communities decades later.



This compelling biography reveals the remarkable journey of a man who helped build General Motors into an automotive giant while simultaneously pioneering revolutionary approaches to worker welfare, education, and community development. Young and Quinn masterfully chronicle Mott's rise from humble beginnings to becoming one of America's wealthiest individuals, but more importantly, they capture his unwavering commitment to giving back. Through intimate portraits of boardroom battles, innovative social programs, and the creation of one of the nation's largest philanthropic foundations, readers witness how Mott's philosophy of enlightened capitalism transformed Flint into a model city. The authors paint a vivid picture of early 20th-century America, where industrial titans wielded enormous power and the choices they made rippled through entire communities for generations.



For anyone fascinated by American business history, the evolution of corporate social responsibility, or the power of philanthropy to drive social change, this book offers invaluable insights into how individual vision can create lasting institutional change. Modern readers will find striking parallels to today's debates about wealth inequality, corporate citizenship, and the role of foundations in addressing societal challenges. This is essential reading for entrepreneurs, historians, and anyone seeking to understand how principled leadership can build not just successful businesses, but stronger communities that endure long after their founders are gone.