Founder Profile
Charles Olcott
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Charles Olcott?
Charles Olcott is a founder of McKesson Corporation, which was founded in 1833 with John McKesson.
- Company founded
- McKesson Corporation
- Founded
- 1833
- Co-founders
- John McKesson
Background
American businessman.
Founding Story
Charles Olcott co-founded Olcott & McKesson in New York City in 1833 alongside John McKesson. Operating out of the financial district, they began as a massive importer and wholesaler of botanical drugs, spices, and therapeutic chemicals from Europe, fundamentally establishing the earliest supply chain for the modern American pharmaceutical industry.
Charles M. Olcott was an American pharmacist. He died in 1853. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).