February 03

William Cornelius Van Horne began his career in the railroad industry with the Chicago and North Western Railway before joining the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1882. As general manager and later president, he famously declared the line would be completed in six years, a goal reached in 1885. Van Horne introduced innovative construction methods and encouraged a diverse workforce to tackle Canada’s challenging terrain. He also promoted tourism by developing grand hotels along the rail route. Under his leadership, the CPR became a cornerstone of Canada’s national unity and economic development. Van Horne’s vision and drive cemented his reputation as one of North America’s most influential railroad magnates.

Elizabeth Holmes (born February 3, 1984) is an American entrepreneur who founded the biotech company Theranos at age 19. She claimed the company would revolutionize blood testing with a device that required only a finger prick of blood. Holmes became the youngest self-made female billionaire, securing partnerships with major corporations and political figures. Investigations later revealed the technology was unreliable, leading to Theranos’s collapse and criminal charges against Holmes. In 2022, she was convicted of defrauding investors and patients, marking a dramatic fall from grace in Silicon Valley.