Gibson
Orville Gibson founded the company in 1902 as the "Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. Ltd." in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to make mandolin-family instruments. Gibson invented archtop guitars by constructing the same type of carved, arched tops used on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars, used and popularized by Charlie Christian. In 1944, Gibson was bought by Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI), which was acquired in 1969 by Panama-based conglomerate Ecuadorian Company Limited (ECL), that changed its name in the same year to Norlin Corporation. Gibson was owned by Norlin Corporation from 1969 to 1986. In 1986, the company was acquired by a group led by Henry Juszkiewicz and David H. Berryman.
Billy Gibson (boxing)
Gibson also served as matchmaker and manager at Madison Square Garden for two years. In 1921, Gibson put his financial backing behind Charles Brickley, who formed the NFL's New York Brickley Giants for one season in 1921. In 1925, the NFL was in need of a franchise in large city market, that could be used to showcase the league. NFL President, Joseph Carr traveled to New York to offer Gibson another franchise. Gibson who lost money heavily on the New York Brickley Giants, refused the offer. However, he referred Carr to his friend, Tim Mara, who established the modern day New York Giants that year.