Filed under: GM
Former GM CEO Roger Smith dies at 82
Roger Smith, former chairman and CEO of General Motors from 1981 to 1990, has died at the age of 82. I was still drawing cars with crayons when Smith lead the General, so I first became aware of him after watching the film Roger and Me by Michael Moore. While that documentary does not paint a rosy picture of Smith, he was at the helm of GM during a time when NUMMI, GM's joint-venture manufacturing facility with Toyota, was formed, and the creation of the Saturn brand. Regardless of how you view Smith's tenure at the top of GM, he is still a significant figure in the history of the world's largest automaker. GM has detailed the life and accomplishments of Roger Smith in its press release posted after the jump.
[Source: GM]
PRESS RELEASE
Roger B. Smith, Former GM Chairman And CEO, Dies At 82
DETROIT – Roger B. Smith, who led General Motors in the 1980s through a period of significant change, passed away here November 29 after a brief illness. He was 82.
Smith was appointed chairman and CEO on January 1, 1981, and led the world's largest automaker until his retirement on July 31, 1990.
Smith directed GM during a revolutionary period in the auto industry, a time of expanding global business, tough new environmental and safety standards, and increased competition from import brands.
During Smith's tenure as chairman and CEO, GM introduced its first front-wheel-drive midsize cars, formed NUMMI, a joint venture with Toyota to manufacture cars in California, created Saturn, and acquired Electronic Data Systems and Hughes Aircraft Corp.
"Roger Smith led GM during a period of tremendous innovation in the industry." GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said today. "He was a leader who knew that we have to accept change, understand change, and learn to make it work for us. Roger was truly a pioneer in the fast moving global industry that we now take for granted."
Prior to being elected chairman, Smith had been an executive vice president and a member of the GM Board of Directors since December 1, 1974.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, on July 12, 1925, he received his formal education in Michigan. He graduated from Detroit University School in 1942. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1947 from the University of Michigan and was awarded a master's degree in business administration there in 1953. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946.
Smith began his GM career in 1949 as a general accounting clerk in the Detroit Central Office. After a series of promotions, he became treasurer of the Corporation in 1970 and vice president in charge of the Financial Staff and a member of the Administration Committee in 1971. The following year, he became vice president and group executive in charge of the Non-automotive and Defense Group. In 1974, he was elected executive vice president, with responsibility for the Financial, Public Relations, and Industry-Government Relations Staffs.
Smith was the originator in February 1978, of the General Motors Cancer Research Awards, designed to recognize basic and clinical scientists throughout the world for hallmark accomplishments in research on the cause, prevention and treatment of cancer.
In the international world, Smith's leadership in promoting free trade was recognized by many countries where General Motors operated. He was awarded gold medals by the heads of state of Austria, Belgium and Spain, as well as the French Legion of Honor. He served on the U.S. Presidential Commission on South Africa.
On the national scene, Smith served on two presidential commissions. He was chairman of both the Business Roundtable and the Business Council. He was a trustee of the California Institute of Technology and received honorary doctorates from several universities. Smith served on the boards of directors of Citicorp, International Paper, Johnson & Johnson and PepsiCo. He served as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee of the New York Stock Exchange that originated the concept of "circuit breakers" to moderate large price fluctuations in the stock and option markets. His leadership in finance and industry was recognized by awards from leading associations and publications across the country.
In state and local affairs, Smith served as chairman of the board of the Economic Club of Detroit, Detroit Renaissance and the Detroit United Foundation. He served on the board of directors of many other charitable and educational organizations.
Smith is survived by Barbara, his wife of 53 years; four children: Roger B. Smith Jr., Jennifer A. Ponski, Victoria B. Sawula, and Drew J. Smith; and six grandchildren.
Services will be private. The family asks that contributions, in lieu of flowers, be made to the Roger B. Smith Memorial Fund to Benefit the Fight Against Cancer at William Beaumont Hospital, c/o of the Beaumont Fund, P.O. Box 5802, Troy, MI 48007-9620.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
elprogramer 11:14AM (11/30/2007)
He saved the company money, but at the cost of design. We're only now just pulling ourselves away from his legacy.
I can't condemn him though, GM was bleeding money back then.
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cowboy bob 11:19AM (11/30/2007)
This guy made many of the problems that have half killed GM today. Poor quality initatives, lack of vision in reguard to compact ccars, union negotiations that hamstrung the company financially, and the list goes on. Tell the thousands of people who lost their jobs while he collected huge retirement and bonus money how good he was!
Derek 1:54PM (11/30/2007)
GM was bleeding money? IIRC, GM set their record highest sales and profits in 1978...
elprogramer 10:23PM (11/30/2007)
^When he came into office, General Motors has posted it's first loss since the 20s.
Look, I'm not saying he was a great executive by any means, Christ, I'm *from* Flint.
But the old corporate structure was almost unchanged since GM's inception as a holding company, and was absolutely redundant and wasteful.
Pete 11:14AM (11/30/2007)
Michael Moore's Roger and Me was crap. Why must you even bring it up...
RIP Mr. Smith
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MGBYG 11:24AM (11/30/2007)
Go ahead and attack the messenger (typical republican tactic)...he is fat, ugly, and obnoxious, yada yada yada, so what??
Moore still spoke the Truth about this loon and the death of GM. Smith represented one of the worst periods in modern industrial management: Market share over product quality.
compy386 11:31AM (11/30/2007)
I don't see how the post is attacking Michael Moore... Roger and Me was mostly about GM moving from Flint to Mexico. That has very little to do with why GM is in this situation today.
rndmnme 11:51AM (11/30/2007)
Oh whatever, Moore and truth do not go hand in hand. More like your "OMG the republicans are coming to kill us" bias towards Moore that is the issue. If you actually did any research into his films you'd find out he is full of crap and does all of this to promote his own agenda.
But if you want to go ahead and continue your "liberal" finger pointing, by all means...
Big Socket 2:12PM (11/30/2007)
"Roger and Me" won numerous awards and is generally very highly regarded, so while you may not have enjoyed it personally, it's probably not fair to call it crap. Frankly I enjoyed it but then I've always been interested in the automotive industry in general.
So are Moores films nothing but liberal propaganda or are they beacons of light, exposing the things those in power don't want you to see? Both really, assuming you're smart enough to discern the difference. If you watch his work, especially the earlier stuff, with an open, educated mind, there's a lot of value to be found in just about everything he puts out.
Justin 3:51PM (11/30/2007)
Moore tends to start with a good idea or general overview, use up all his good points and facts in the beginning, and then scrape for connections after the first half hour.
I hate Bush, but Fahrenheit 911 was an awful film, trying to tie things together in as convoluted a way as possible and with nothing but Moore's opinions leading the way.
Critical love and awards mean nothing.
Roger and Me was good, but again, only takes Moore's view into account. He's never been very good at the bigger picture, as somehow everything he studies starts in Flint, Michigan (which must somehow be the nexus of the universe). Businesses make money and move. He needs to get that, but instead ignores it and just blames GM. Maybe people need to vary their job skills, get educated, move elsewhere...but no...let's blame the big bad company for moving to increase revenue.
Mallory 9:59PM (11/30/2007)
RE: "He's never been very good at the bigger picture, as somehow everything he studies starts in Flint, Michigan (which must somehow be the nexus of the universe)."
Moore was born in Flint, so once you know that it makes a lot more sense. He lived "Roger and Me" hence his personal point of view and insight.
TriShield 11:15AM (11/30/2007)
Big-O, it's showtime!
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Leaf 12:51PM (11/30/2007)
Very nice
Tsunami Racer 11:35AM (11/30/2007)
With Roger’s luck, the contract-protected blue collars at the gates of heaven will all be on break while the educated salaried white collars (ie St. Peter) who used to be manning the gates were ‘rightsized’ with early retirement in the last round of god’s layoffs.
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Pete 11:35AM (11/30/2007)
Flint sucks. Get over it. Typical republican please...
The UAW and auto workers did it to themselves. MI is dying because no other business would dream of starting up a damn thing here.
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Tagg 8:25PM (11/30/2007)
DIY
GM wanted to build a paint facility in Flint about 10-15 years ago but the UAW fought them over the fact GM wasn't going to use union labor to install the booths. So after months of fighting GM said screw it and built the plant in Wisconsin, far away from the militant labor in Flint. That plant would have provided 350 new jobs to the Flint area and in the papers the local UAW leaders spouted "victory" because they would let non-union workers take part in the construction.
Thats the stuff Micheal Moore forgets while he "fights for the working man" from his mansions in LA and northen Michigan.
elprogramer 10:19PM (11/30/2007)
^Ten.
I work there. The deal was actually settled, but someone called a protest march in front of some executives and they were so incensed, they tore down Buick City a year later.
That's why Lansing gets all the work and Flint gets nothing.
elprogramer 10:24PM (11/30/2007)
And Pete, die in a fire.
Fletcher 11:37AM (11/30/2007)
I agree with most of you. Mr Smith dam near killed GM through the ripple effect. He was good for GM during his rein but the effects of his rein is what ruined GM. Like someone said GM is just now recovering..... Go Gm!
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AZMike 12:00PM (11/30/2007)
there is no one singly more responsible for putting GM in the pit they are now crawling from than this jackass.
please note from his biography that he was a bean counter, not a car guy. he was fascinated with technology, whether it was proven or not.
-he was the one who ordered the Japanese robots for the factories back in the 80's. these were the robots that painted the air, and did nothing when the car came by. they did the same thing with windshields; the car went by without one being installed, and then the robots would drop it after the car passed. the robot technology was so bad even the Japanese auto manufacturers would not buy it then.
-he was responsible for recommending and approving the disastrous shortened and bland full-size GM cars, starting in 1985.
I sell parts for Buick Reattas (1988-1991) for a living, and it's scary to hear stories from the head people who worked on the Reatta project.
they had to battle Smith over the car's content. the Buick folks essentially wanted a one-price, fully equipped car; Smith wanted a cheap, basic car with 43 options, with a cloth interior standard, as well as a vinyl roof, 14" white sidewall tires, and wire wheel covers!
thankfully, the powers at Buick prevailed, and they brought a fully equipped, hand-built premium automobile to market. there were only two options; a sixteen-way driver seat, and a sunroof. everything else, including ABS, was standard.
this is far from an isolated example; I've heard more stories from people who worked in other divisions as well.
a wise man once said that disastrous decisions made in a large corporation would not be seen for twenty years. Roger Smith was an excellent example of this bad decision maker.
AZMike
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