James E. Fell

Rockefeller's Right-hand Man: Frederick T. Gates and the Northwestern Mining Investments

As the careers of men like J. P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie illustrate so well, one of the most important elements of entrepreneurship is the ability to select talented lieutenants. This aspect of John D. Rockefellers career is less well known, particularly in respect to his private investments. Dr. Fell takes one of Rockefellers minor projects and demonstrates that the sagacity and perseverance of a lieutenant, Frederick T. Gates, meant the difference between a near-total loss and a remarkably profitable investment.