150 Best Recession- Proof Jobs

The second thing they all have in common may be less apparent but is still crucial: Each won his spurs as a leader at General Electric (GE). Nardelli and McNerney were considered possible successors to GE’s legendary boss, Jack Welch. In 2001, when it became clear that Jeff Immelt would succeed Welch, Nardelli (president and CEO of GE Power Systems) and McNerney (president and CEO of GE Aircraft Engines) left to join The Home Depot and 3M, respectively. Bossidy, former chief operating officer of GE Credit (later GE Capital), left to join AlliedSignal, which merged with Honeywell in 1999. Paul headed global operations for GE Medical Systems before he joined Wipro.