George Eastman

George Eastman (1854–1932) was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist who transformed photography into a mass-market activity. Born in Waterville, New York, he moved to Rochester and began experimenting with photographic processes while working as a bank clerk. He founded the Eastman Dry Plate Company in 1881, which became the Eastman Kodak Company, and helped popularize roll film and the Kodak camera, promoted with the slogan “You press the button, we do the rest.” Eastman was also a major benefactor, supporting education and health initiatives, including significant gifts to the University of Rochester and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He died in Rochester.