Charles W. Nash started his career working in the Durant-Dort carriage works, where he developed the straight-line conveyor-belt system, which became a standard item in auto assembly plants. When Durant left the wagon business to start Buick, Nash went along with him and in 1910 he became president of that company. Buick so prospered under Nash’s leadership that in 1912 he was made president of General Motors, a position he held until 1916. In that year Nash purchased the Thomas B. Jeffery Company and in 1917 began to manufacture Nash cars. Nash remained president of the Nash Motor Company until 1930 when he became chairman of the board. Shortly thereafter, merger negotiations with the Kelvinator Corporation were completed, and the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation was formed with George Mason as president and Charles W. Nash as chairman of the board.