{{short description|American aviation executive}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Neal Blue | image = Neal Blue at the Berlin Air Show 2016 (crop).jpg | alt = | caption = Neal Blue in 2016 | birth_name = James Neal Blue | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1935}} | birth_place = Meeker, Colorado, US | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes}} --> | death_place = | education = Yale University | other_names = | occupation = Businessman | known_for = Co-owner, chairman, and CEO of General Atomics | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | boards = | spouse = | partner = | children = | mother = Virginia Neal Blue | relatives = Linden Blue (brother) }}
'''James Neal Blue''' (born 1935) is an American billionaire businessman, and the chief executive officer and chairman of General Atomics based in San Diego, California.<ref>Potter, Matt, ''General Atomics: Color It Blue'', 12 July 2001 {{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2001/jul/12/general-atomics-color-it-blue/| title=sandiegoreader.com |accessdate= 28 November 2016}}</ref>
==Early life== Blue was born in 1935 in Meeker, Colorado, the son of James Elliot Blue and Virginia Neal Blue, a partner in the Denver residential real estate firm of Blue and Blue.<ref>Graves, Brad. ''Behind the Controls''. 20 March 2015.{{cite web|url=http://sdbj.com/news/2015/mar/20/behind-controls/?page=2&| title=sdbj.com | date=20 March 2015 |accessdate= 28 November 2016}}</ref>
==Education== Blue attended Yale University.<ref>Graves, Brad. ''Behind the Controls'', page 3. 20 March 2015. {{cite web|url=http://sdbj.com/news/2015/mar/20/behind-controls/?page=3&| title=sdbj.com | date=20 March 2015 |accessdate= 28 November 2016}}</ref> During college, he was in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps.<ref name=":0" />
==Career== Neal and his brother Linden Blue owned the Colorado and Western Properties firm in Colorado in the 1970s. William Mathews White Jr. sold his entire holdings in Great Western United to Colorado and Western on the day he was forced to resign from his company in September 1971. White Jr. had spent the previous few years turning a pair of flour and sugar companies into a conglomerate, bringing in land marketing companies, Shakey's Pizza, and more. After the stock deal, James Neal and C&W's Arthur T. Cowperthwaite were then elected to the Great Western board. By February 1972 White amended the statement, indicating he had sold just under half of his shares, but both James Neal and Cowperthwaite would remain on the board.<ref name="newstock">{{Cite web |title=William M. White announces new stock transaction |author=Morton L. Margolin |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=3 February 1972 |access-date=15 August 2020 |url= https://mountainscholar.org/bitstream/handle/10217/202783/AGWS3-1203_04.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y}}</ref>
Neal and Linden acquired General Atomics in 1986 from Chevron Oil for a reported $60 million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2003/sep/18/all-family/|title=Famous San Diego siblings – Copleys, O'Connors, Roths, Blues, Inzunzas|last=McCullough|first=Don|date=September 18, 2003|website=sandiegoreader.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref> Neal serves as chairman and chief executive officer of General Atomics, which specializes in diversified research, development and manufacturing in defense, energy and other advanced technology arenas.<ref name=":0">{{cite news | publisher=Airport Journals | url=http://airportjournals.com/linden-blue-from-disease-resistant-bananas-to-uavs/ | first=Di | last=Freeze | title=Linden Blue: From Disease-Resistant Bananas to UAVs |date=October 2005}}</ref>
== Awards == * '''2013:''' 29th annual International von Karman Wings Award (October 2013)<ref>{{cite news | publisher=California Institute of Technology| url=http://galcit.caltech.edu/ahs/recipients/2013.html | title=Neal Blue was recipient of the 29th Annual International von Karman Wings Award in October 2013 |date=October 2013}}</ref> * '''2023''': John R. Alison Award presented by the Air & Space Forces Association<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 September 2023 |title=AFA Awards Founders of General Atomics for Industrial Leadership |url=https://www.afa.org/news/afa-awards-founders-general-atomics-industrial-leadership |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=Air & Space Force Association}}</ref>
==Personal== Blue's brother is Linden Blue, the vice-chairman of General Atomics. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jag.org/board-of-directors/linden-blue| title=jag.com Virginia Melba Neal Blue |accessdate= 28 November 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} {{commons category}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue, Neal}} Category:American chief executives in technology Category:Living people Category:1935 births Category:People from Meeker, Colorado Category:American billionaires Category:Yale University alumni Category:Businesspeople from Colorado
{{US-CEO-stub}}