General Motors Corporation. Frigidaire Division

Founded in 1916 as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the business developed one of the first self-contained electric refrigerators. William C. Durant, a founder of General Motors, invested in the company in 1918, and by 1919 it had adopted the name Frigidaire.

Under General Motors ownership from 1919 to 1979, Frigidaire grew into a well-known appliance maker and became especially associated with refrigerators, so much so that many Americans used "Frigidaire" as a generic word for a fridge. The division was first tied to Delco-Light and later operated as an independent GM division based in Dayton, Ohio; it also made air-conditioning compressors for GM automobiles.

Frigidaire's long run inside GM ended on January 31, 1979, when General Motors sold the appliance division to White Consolidated Industries. Even so, the Frigidaire name remained one of the most recognizable brands in American home appliances, reflecting decades of influence on how kitchens and laundry rooms were equipped.