Charles Albert Coffin (December 31, 1844 – July 14, 1926) was an American businessman who was the co-founder and first president of General Electric corporation.

At age 18, he moved to Lynn, Massachusetts, to join his uncle Charles E. Coffin and his shoe company, at which he spent the next twenty years.

[1] In 1883, he was approached by another Lynn businessman, Silas A. Barton, to bring to town a struggling electric company from New Britain, Connecticut, finance it and lead it.

The company was tested quickly during the Panic of 1893, in which Coffin negotiated with New York banks to advance money in exchange for GE-owned utility stocks.

[7] He supported GE engineers in the adaptation and development of the Curtis steam turbine, which advanced electric power generation.