MCI Communications Corporation. Office of the Chief Executive Officer.

William G. McGowan was born in 1927 in the small coal mining and railroad town of Ashley, Pennsylvania. After serving in the U.S. Army, he attended Kings College in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and then received an MBA from Harvard University. In business, McGowan specialized in rescuing troubled companies and raising venture capital.

McGowan joined MCI in 1968. His business expertise balanced the fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants entrepreneurial spirit of company founder Jack Goeken. In addition, McGowan brought a much needed cash infusion via his own funds and his skill raising venture capital. McGowan immediately pushed for the company to go nationwide. To do so, he took on the Goliath AT&T, mainly through a series of regulatory and legal battles. McGowan was well suited to the warrior role and he became well-recognized as the face of MCI and the man who took on Ma Bell and won.

McGowan served as the driving force behind MCI until he was slowed by a 1986 heart attack and subsequent heart transplant. He resigned as CEO and named Bert Roberts as his successor in 1991, while maintaining his role as Chairman. In 1992, he succumbed to a second heart attack.

From the description of Records of William G. McGowan, 1939-1992 (bulk 1968-1992). (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 80605753