James Elias Olson

James Elias Olson was an American business executive who served as the chief executive officer and later chairman of the American Telephone and Telegraph.

Early life and education

Olson was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota, to a father who was a barber and mother who was a schoolteacher. He earned a commerce degree from the University of North Dakota in 1950.

Career

Olson began his career in the telecommunications industry with a summer job at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, which led to a lifelong career at AT&T. Olson became the president of Indiana Bell in 1972 and later served as president of Illinois Bell
In 1977, Olson was appointed as AT&T's executive vice president and was elected as vice-chairman in 1979.
During his tenure at AT&T, Olson led the company through the 1984 divestiture of the Bell telephone companies. He was involved in restructuring efforts, which included cost-cutting measures and the reorganization of AT&T's computer division.
In 1986, Olson was elected as the chairman of AT&T, a position he held until his death in 1988.