Word: smithing
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...chief product of Smith's typewriter is his short, sharp memos, which rarely exceed a page. They cover everything from ideas on a new plane American is considering buying to complaints about an airliner's coffee, are dispatched in a steady stream to every corner of American's operations. Wrote Smith, after noticing that souvenirs were distributed on a crack Captain's Flagship flight: "How long are you going to have them, and why have you got them...
...Liked Her." Nothing goes on along the 14,000 miles of American's routes or among its 21,000 employees that does not interest Smith. He often rides the line alone on weekends, keeping tab on everything. His seamed, jowly face has become a familiar sight to stewardesses, pilots and mechanics, as he samples the food, checks the service, asks questions-all the while jotting notes on pieces of scrap paper. A rough and tough man's man, he often peppers his speech with four-letter words, can shoot out orders like a gunslinger on the loose. Recently...
...businessmen left in America," says Convair President Jack Naish, "with whom you can close a $100 million deal on his word alone." After Smith decided to order the Convair 600 jet, he called on Naish, chatted briefly about fishing and baseball, then suddenly blurted: "Hey, my guys tell me this 600 is a pretty good airplane." Naish agreed. Said Smith: "We want 25. How much will it be?" Naish told him $100 million. "O.K.," said C. R.-and walked...
...Smith is equally terse in social conversation. A visitor who recently had lunch with him asked what kind of work his father had done. Answered Smith: "As little as possible." Asked what sort of person his mother was, he replied: "Well, I liked...
Brass Backed. Smith never let himself get sloppy, was unafraid to take a gamble to put American out ahead. For example, while most other airlines were shunning New York's newly built La Guardia field in 1938 because they did not want the bother and expense of moving from Newark, Smith saw that the shift closer to Manhattan would improve service, switched American's New York base to La Guardia. New York City was so glad to get American that the gamble paid off. Smith got a rock-bottom rental, and the other airlines were eventually forced...