Served as President of Delco Lighting Company (a General Motors subsidiary) from 1920 through 1924

Beginning in 1924, served as Vice President and General Sales Manager of Chevrolet, increasing sales to make Chevrolet the largest single seller of cars in the world

Served as GM’s Vice President in charge of sales from 1929 through 1942

Richard Grant advised his sales staff: “Carry an order blank in your night-shirt pocket in case you walk in your sleep.” Graduating from Harvard in 1901, Grant was disappointed when a promised bank position failed to materialize. Instead, he found employment selling books at a Boston department store and soon discovered that he loved to sell. When a friend who worked for the National Cash Register Company suggested Grant seek employment there, Grant applied and was assigned as a clerk in the sales office. It wasn’t long before his supervisors decided that Grant was too good to keep in the office, and they sent him out to sell their products. Nine years later he was serving as NCR’s General Sales Manager when General Motors recruited him. At GM, Grant did what no one else had been able to do: surpass Ford Motor Company in sales. Building a strong network of dealers, Grant provided inspiration and training in the most modern sales methods. His efforts paid off. GM’s market share climbed from 12 percent to 43 percent, becoming the largest volume seller in the world.