John A. Cleveland Page 488 - John A. Cleveland, manager of the Consumers Power Company, in Grand Rapids, is not only a well versed electrical engineer, but has proved also to be a strong and resourceful executive. Mr. Cleveland was born in the city of Rochester, New York, and is a son of the late C. Augustus and Mary E. Cleveland, the family being old residents in the Empire state. John A. Cleveland graduated from Williams College, Massachusetts, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts and then completed the engineering course at Cornell University from which he graduated with the degree of Electrical Engineer. After spending two years with the Rochester Railway & Light Company, he went to Saginaw, Michigan, as industrial electrical engineer for the Saginaw Power Company. Three years later he was appointed manager of the Bay City Power Company and the Bay City Gas Company. After two years’ residence in Bay City, he returned to Saginaw as vice-president and general manager of the Saginaw-Bay City Railway Company, the Saginaw and Bay City power companies and the Saginaw and Bay City gas companies. The gas and electric companies in Saginaw and Bay City were later consolidated with a number of other similar companies the state, forming the Consumers Power Company. Mr. Cleveland continued in charge of the public utility properties in Saginaw until February, 1924, when he came to Grand Rapids as manager of the Grand Raids district of the Consumers Power Company, which includes various counties of western Michigan. Mr. Cleveland has been identified with the Consumers Power Company for several years and has been closely connected with its development. This company is playing a large part in advancing the civic and industrial progress of Michigan. It has a number of large and modern steam generating plants and has constructed and has in operation many hydro-electric plants on different rivers in the state. Mr. Cleveland belongs to several Masonic orders, including the Elf Khurafeh Temple and St. Bernard Commandery Knights Templar of Saginaw. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honorary college fraternity, to which he was admitted while a student at Williams College. In Grand Rapids he belongs to the Peninsular Club, the University Club and the Highlands Country Club.

Transcriber: Nancy Myers
Created: 22 November 2003