Don Geiss was the CEO of GE. He selected Jack as his replacement, but fell into a diabetic coma be fore he could inform the board. ("Succession") He recovered and resumed his post, but in season 4 he died and the NBC board sold the company to Kabletown. Jack said that when burying Geiss, he was also burying America and hope. In life, Jack greatly admired Geiss and wanted to be just like him, filling his role after he died ("Corporate Crush").