Fortune 100 Began in 1955. The Fortune 100 in 1955 was led by General Motors, a company that held the top position for over 30 years. General Motors had revenues of $9.8 billion to top the list. The remaining top 10 was rounded out by Exxon, US Steel, General Electric, Esmark, Chrysler, Armour, Gulf Oil, Mobil and DuPont.