~ 1845 - 1920
Theodore Newton Vail was an American businessman and telecommunications executive, best known for his role as the president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) from 1907 to 1919 and again from 1920 to 1925. He played a pivotal role in expanding the telephone network in the United States and was a proponent of the idea that communication technology should be accessible to all. Vail is often credited with shaping modern telecommunications policy and structure.