Charles Piez (September 24, 1866 - October 2, 1933) was an American

mechanical engineer Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations of ...

, manufacturer, and president of the Link-Belt Co. He was president of the Electric Company, and vice president and general manager of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC). He is also known as president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers from 1930 to 1931.

Biography

Piez was born in

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...

, Germany, the son of Jacob Piez and Katherine (Liebig) Piez, both naturalized American citizens. He emigrated with his parents to the United States, and attended public schools in

Manhattan, New York City Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

.''Iron Age,'' Vol. 132. 1933. p. 53 He entered the School of Mines of Columbia University in the class of 1888. Due to financial reverses in the family he worked for a year, and graduated with the class of 1889. After graduation Piez started his career in industry as an engineer draftsman at the Link-Belt Engineering Corporation in Philadelphia under

James Mapes Dodge James Mapes Dodge (Manhattan, June 30, 1852 – Germantown, Philadelphia, December 4, 1915) was an American mechanical engineer, inventor, industrialist and president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in the year 1903–04. He is kno ...

. He worked his way up to chief engineer, general manager, and eventually vice-president until 1906. In 1906 the Link-Belt Engineering Corporation merged into the Link-Belt Co., and Piez was elected president. Piez held the position of president until 1917. After the outbreak of World War I, Piez was appointed vice-president of the

Emergency Fleet Corporation The Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) was established by the United States Shipping Board, sometimes referred to as the War Shipping Board, on 16 April 1917 pursuant to the Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729) to acquire, maintain, and operate merchant shi ...

(EFC). In 1917 he was also appointed manager of the

United States Shipping Board The United States Shipping Board (USSB) was established as an emergency agency by the 1916 Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729), on September 7, 1916. The United States Shipping Board's task was to increase the number of US ships supporting the World War ...

, succeeding Rear-Admiral

Frederic R. Harris Rear Admiral Frederic R. Harris (April 10, 1875 – July 20, 1949), of New York City, was a Philately, philatelist who amassed some of the finest collections in philatelic history. Collecting interests Harris was famous for his collection of Hawa ...

. In 1919, Piez forbid the Seattle ship manufacturers from meeting workers demands, triggering the

Seattle General Strike The Seattle General Strike of 1919 was a five-day general work stoppage by more than 65,000 workers in the city of Seattle, Washington from February 6 to 11. Dissatisfied workers in several unions began the strike to gain higher wages, after two ...

. Piez was singled out as a prime target of the strike. The action was unsuccessful. Until his retirement in April 1933 Piez served as chairman of the board of the Link-Belt Corporation. In 1925-1927 Piez served as President of Illinois Manufacturers' Association.,''Industry Week.'' Vol. 78, 1926. p. 367 from 1930 to 1931 served as president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He died on October 2, 1933 in

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

Selected publications

* Charles Piez.
Personal reminiscences of James Mapes Dodge
'' 1916

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piez, Charles 1866 births 1933 deaths American mechanical engineers Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni Presidents of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers German emigrants to the United States