Louis Chevrolet, 1878 - 1941

Jean-Jacques Dufour, 1763 - 1827

Meyer Guggenheim, 1828 - 1905

Milton Hershey, 1857 - 1945

Donald M. Hess, 1936-, wine entrepreneur. Born in Bern, inherited his family’s beer and hotel businesses as a young man, and soon diversified into mineral water. He founded Valser St. Petersquelle in 1961 to exploit a deep mineral water source near Vals in Canton Graubünden. With Valser he pioneered direct home deliveries. A visit to the Napa Valley persuaded him to move into wine. He purchased the first pieces of land for his vineyards there in 1978. In 1995 he expanded his business to South Africa, in 1999 to Argentina, and in 2003 to Australia. His Swiss-based company, Hess Holding, also has assets in restaurants and real estate. He sold Valser to Coca Cola in 2002. In addition to his business0 interest in wine, he is also an art collector.

Bob (Robert Anton) Lutz, 1932-

John B. Meyenberg, 1847 - 1914

Eddie Rickenbacker, 1890 - 1973

Henry Rosenberg, 1824-1893, businessman and philanthropist, born in Bilten, Canton Glarus. He emigrated to Galveston, Texas in 1843, following his friend John Hessly. He started by working as a clerk in Hessly's dry goods store, which he later acquired, and built into the leading store of its kind in the state. He then branched into banking, real estate and transport. Among his business interests were the Galveston Bank and Trust Company, and the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company. He was active in church affairs during his life time, and in his will left money for a number of religious and charitable causes. His estate also funded the first free public library in Texas. From 1866 until his death he served first as Swiss vice-consul, then as consul, for the state of Texas.

Robert J. F. Schwarzenbach, 1875-1929, businessman and philanthropist. Born in Zurich, a member of the third generation of the Schwarzenbach silk manufacturing dynasty of Thalwil. Moved to the US in 1897, where Schwarzenbach-Huber had set up its first factory in 1883 on the Hudson River – the biggest of several Swiss-founded textile works in New Jersey which attracted many skilled immigrants from Switzerland. He became head of the Schwarzenbach business in the US in 1908, expanding its already thriving affairs. He was the first vice president of the Silk Manufacturers’ Association, and Swiss Consul General in New York. He was also the president of the Swiss Benevolent Society of New York from 1911 to 1924. He bequeathed money to the University of Zurich to set up the J F Schwarzenbach foundation, with the aim of purchasing and preserving Swiss works of art, upholding the family tradition of supporting the arts and sciences. His wife, Hedwig Margaritha Frölicher of Zurich whom he married in 1913, was a survivor of the Titanic disaster.

Robert M. Schwarzenbach, 1917-1988, businessman. Born in Jericho, New York, son of Robert F. J. Schwarzenbach. CEO of the textile company Schwarzenbach Huber, based in New York. He was also a member of the US Olympic Ski Team. During World War II he was fighter pilot, and patrolled the Swiss-German border.

Johann Augustus Suter, 1803 - 1880