Julien “Jim” Charlier took over as general manager of the GE Medical Systems Department at a very uncertain moment in the history of the business. Not only was the entire company in the midst of a nationwide strike, but some senior corporate executives were expressing concerns about GE’s potential liability should one of Milwaukee’s medical products injure a patient. Confidential suggestions were even being floated at headquarters that the prudent course of action might be to exit the medical equipment market entirely . . .