San Francisco
County
Biographies
JAMES
BYERS BLACK
James
Byers Black, public utility and business executive was born in Sycamore,
Illinois May 6, 1890. The son of Charles Albert and Olive
(Byers).
Preparatory education public schools
of San Francisco, graduated from University of California in 1912 with B.S.
degree in mechanical engineering.
Started his business career with
Great Western Power Company as a service inspector in 1912 serving in various
capacities until 1918 when he was appointed general sales manager, general
manager 1922, vice president and general manager 1923; vice president Western
Power Corporation (of which Great Western Power Co. was a subsidiary) in 1926;
vice president North American Corporation 1927 and since 1935 president of Pacific
Gas and Electric Company, San Francisco, California, also director and member
of the executive committee. Director and member executive committee Southern
Pacific Company; director, United States Steel Corporation, Equitable Life
Assurance Company of the United States, Firemans Fund
Insurance Company, Del Monte Properties Company and California Pacific Title
Insurance Company. Member National Labor-Management Panel of Federal
Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947; member business advisory council for
United States Department of Commerce; member Industrial Conference Board;
member, Council of United States Association of International Chamber of
Commerce; member advisory committee Edison Electric Institute; member, advisory
council, School of Business Administration, University of California;
consulting professor, public utility management, Stanford Graduate School of
Business.
Member Newcomen
Society of England in North America, Golden Bear, Skull and Keys, Big C Society, Chi Phi and
Tau Beta Pi.
Mr. Black is also a member of the
Links Club (New York); Cypress Point Golf Club (Pebble Beach, California);
Pacific Union, Bohemian, The Family and San Francisco Golf Clubs (San
Francisco).
Family residence,
945 Green Street, San Francisco 11, California.
Offices: 245 Market Street, San Francisco 6,
California.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Eminent Californians 1953”,
by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Page 442, C. W. Taylor
Publ., Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Cecelia M. Setty.
San Francisco County Biographies