I am Andrew Mellon (1855-1937). When I was only 19, I joined my father and brother in managing the family bank, T. Mellon and Sons. In just eight years, I became the owner of the bank and eventually created a huge financial-industrial empire in western Pennsylvania. I supplied many Pittsburgh-based companies to expand in fields like aluminum, steel, oil, coke, and coal, gaining me a significant income.
I also founded several companies of my own including, the Aluminum Company of America, the Gulf Oil Company, and the Union Steel Company. All of these became highly successful and were major companies in the United States. However, my most significant financial instrument was the Union Trust Company, which I helped create with Henry Frick. The Union Trust Company eventually acquired my family’s bank and was what helped me become the third-richest man in the United States by the early 1920’s.
Eventually, my knowledge in these financial matters earned me the job of Secretary of Treasury for President Warren G. Harding in 1921. I tried my best to bring business practices into the government. By cutting taxes significantly and strictly enforcing Prohibition, I brought upon a period of unprecedented financial prosperity. However, the Great Depression struck and effectively ruined my career as Secretary of Treasury, and I was forced to resign in 1932.
However, this did not ruin my legacy. I was also known as a great philanthropist and I gave away nearly $10 million in my life. Most importantly, I donated money and pictures to establish the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. as art was one of my passions. This assured that my legacy will continue to live on for years after my death.
http://www.mellon.org/about_foundation/history/andrew-w-mellon
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/374012/Andrew-W-Mellon
