Business Research Sources -ch 9: Who´s Who in America

9. Who's Who in America

Description of Publication: Who´s Who in America

Only a few reference sources specifically cover prominent business leaders. Three national directories specialize in Who´s Who

executive profiles: (1) the Reference Book of Corporate Managements will be covered briefly below; (2) Who's Who in Finance and Industry is presented in this chapter as a recommended supplement; and (3) Volume 2 of the S&P Register (see Chapter 3 for more information on Standard & Poor's publications).

Nevertheless, Who's Who in America does a good job of covering everybody, including executives, which is perhaps best for the researcher's needs and so will be the primary focus here.

According to its editors, Marquis Who's Who in America was first published in 1899 and has become the standard of contemporary biography throughout the nation. The "Big Red Book" is known for its readily available store of life and career data on noteworthy individuals. The book has grown from 8,602 names in the first edition to more than 90,000 biographees at this publication date. From its inception, Who's Who in America has endeavored to profile the leaders of American society: those men and women who are influencing their nation's development. In 1898, when A. N. Marquis, the original publisher, recognized the need for an American biographical directory, he declared that the guiding principle behind such a venture would be to chronicle the lives of individuals whose achievements and contributions to society made them subjects of widespread reference interest and inquiry.

Who's Who in America primarily focuses on U.S. citizens and prominent individuals from other countries, particularly Canada and Mexico, as well. (There is also an international edition.) The biographical data comes from the biographees, which usually results in accurate and current biographical information. Selection is based on reference value. Individuals become eligible for listing by virtue of their positions and/or noteworthy achievements that have proven to be of significant value to society. Wealth or social position are not criteria. The preface lists 12 standards of admission.

Users can identify and locate individuals in any of 38 categories, as well as by country, state, or city. To produce the most Who´s Who

efficient reference source available, Who's Who in America provides several useful features. First, the latest edition contains a cumulative "Retiree Index" of persons whose names were deleted from the last three years because they have retired from active work. Second, there is a "Necrology of Biographees" whose sketches appeared in the most recent edition and whose deaths were reported before the closing of that edition. The third feature is an expanded listing of individuals whose sketches appear in one of the Marquis regional or topical directories.

Many of the women and men profiled in Who's Who in America have included in their biographies a listing of their avocations, thus providing additional insights into their personal lives and interests. Some of the sketches also end with an italicized feature, "Thoughts on My Life." The statement is written by the biographees and reflects those principles, goals, ideals, and values that have been guidelines for success and high standards.

The Reference Book of Corporate Managements is published by Dun & Bradstreet and boasts a list of 12,000 companies and their executives in the United States. It lists corporate officers by their companies and not alphabetically, like most other directories. Personal information includes: year of birth, marital status, colleges attended, military service, employment history, and principal outside affiliations. The information is contained in a four-volume set arranged alphabetically by company, with a description of each company and the biographical profiles. The last volume is the index. The Reference Book of Corporate Managements is available in CD-ROM.

Periodicals that can be referenced for biographical information are: Biography, University Press of Hawaii, a quarterly publication, (808) 948-8694, and Current Biography, H. W. Wilson Co., monthly, (800) 367-6770.

Something to Think About

The reference value for biographees in Who's Who in America is based on either or both of what two factors? Are you in a position to nominate a candidate for Who's Who in America? How would you undertake to do such a project?