Gerald C. Meyers
Encyclopedia
Gerald C. Meyers, former chairman and CEO
of American Motors Corporation (AMC) is an industrialist, author, lecturer, and management consultant.
, Meyers attended public schools and in 1950 earned a B.S.
in engineering
and in 1954 a M.S.
in business from Carnegie Mellon University
. He joined the Ford Motor Company
in 1950, and later moved to Chrysler Corporation. Eight years with Chrysler, he became Director of Manufacturing for the company's overseas plants in 1961 and lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
In 1962 he became Director of Purchasing for American Motors Corporation in Detroit. He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group and Executive Vice-President. In May 1977 Meyers was named president and Chief Operating Officer, succeeding the retiring William Luneburg. Although, Meyers was the executive who had been against AMC's purchase of Jeep in 1970 (of which the press kept reminding him), he was now one of Jeep's biggest proponents.
Upon the retirement of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
in October 1977, Meyers became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. At the time, Meyers was 49 years old and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry bringing a wealth of manufacturing experience. "The company was looking for a lot more than a steady hand on the tiller — it was looking for a savior" but Meyers disagreed and argued that the company could survive and remain a factor in the automobile industry by abandoning its policy of head-on competition and instead focusing on and revamping its four-wheel-drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.
Meyers retired early in 1982, by which time the French state-owned Renault
company controlled 46% of American Motors. He was succeeded as chairman by former AMC President W. Paul Tippett Jr.
Subsequently he was the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and Professor of Business at Carnegie Mellon University's Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He has written a book about business crisis management and co-authored another. Meyers is now a business consultant and public speaker. He is also a Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Michigan
Ross School of Business
in Ann Arbor.
He is President of Gerald C. Meyers Associates, Inc., a management consulting
firm that assists and advises senior corporate officers. An expert in corporate governance and crisis management, he is also a commentator on the automobile industry.
On April 17, 2007 he received an honorary degree
, doctorate of business practice, from Carnegie Mellon University
.
in 2000.
Gerald C. Meyers, former chairman and CEO
of American Motors Corporation (AMC) is an industrialist, author, lecturer, and management consultant.
, Meyers attended public schools and in 1950 earned a B.S.
in engineering
and in 1954 a M.S.
in business from Carnegie Mellon University
. He joined the Ford Motor Company
in 1950, and later moved to Chrysler Corporation. Eight years with Chrysler, he became Director of Manufacturing for the company's overseas plants in 1961 and lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
In 1962 he became Director of Purchasing for American Motors Corporation in Detroit. He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group and Executive Vice-President. In May 1977 Meyers was named president and Chief Operating Officer, succeeding the retiring William Luneburg. Although, Meyers was the executive who had been against AMC's purchase of Jeep in 1970 (of which the press kept reminding him), he was now one of Jeep's biggest proponents.
Upon the retirement of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
in October 1977, Meyers became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. At the time, Meyers was 49 years old and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry bringing a wealth of manufacturing experience. "The company was looking for a lot more than a steady hand on the tiller — it was looking for a savior" but Meyers disagreed and argued that the company could survive and remain a factor in the automobile industry by abandoning its policy of head-on competition and instead focusing on and revamping its four-wheel-drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.
Meyers retired early in 1982, by which time the French state-owned Renault
company controlled 46% of American Motors. He was succeeded as chairman by former AMC President W. Paul Tippett Jr.
Subsequently he was the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and Professor of Business at Carnegie Mellon University's Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He has written a book about business crisis management and co-authored another. Meyers is now a business consultant and public speaker. He is also a Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Michigan
Ross School of Business
in Ann Arbor.
He is President of Gerald C. Meyers Associates, Inc., a management consulting
firm that assists and advises senior corporate officers. An expert in corporate governance and crisis management, he is also a commentator on the automobile industry.
On April 17, 2007 he received an honorary degree
, doctorate of business practice, from Carnegie Mellon University
.
in 2000.
Gerald C. Meyers, former chairman and CEO
of American Motors Corporation (AMC) is an industrialist, author, lecturer, and management consultant.
, Meyers attended public schools and in 1950 earned a B.S.
in engineering
and in 1954 a M.S.
in business from Carnegie Mellon University
. He joined the Ford Motor Company
in 1950, and later moved to Chrysler Corporation. Eight years with Chrysler, he became Director of Manufacturing for the company's overseas plants in 1961 and lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
In 1962 he became Director of Purchasing for American Motors Corporation in Detroit. He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group and Executive Vice-President. In May 1977 Meyers was named president and Chief Operating Officer, succeeding the retiring William Luneburg. Although, Meyers was the executive who had been against AMC's purchase of Jeep in 1970 (of which the press kept reminding him), he was now one of Jeep's biggest proponents.
Upon the retirement of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
in October 1977, Meyers became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. At the time, Meyers was 49 years old and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry bringing a wealth of manufacturing experience. "The company was looking for a lot more than a steady hand on the tiller — it was looking for a savior" but Meyers disagreed and argued that the company could survive and remain a factor in the automobile industry by abandoning its policy of head-on competition and instead focusing on and revamping its four-wheel-drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.
Meyers retired early in 1982, by which time the French state-owned Renault
company controlled 46% of American Motors. He was succeeded as chairman by former AMC President W. Paul Tippett Jr.
Subsequently he was the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and Professor of Business at Carnegie Mellon University's Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He has written a book about business crisis management and co-authored another. Meyers is now a business consultant and public speaker. He is also a Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Michigan
Ross School of Business
in Ann Arbor.
He is President of Gerald C. Meyers Associates, Inc., a management consulting
firm that assists and advises senior corporate officers. An expert in corporate governance and crisis management, he is also a commentator on the automobile industry.
On April 17, 2007 he received an honorary degree
, doctorate of business practice, from Carnegie Mellon University
.
in 2000.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of American Motors Corporation (AMC) is an industrialist, author, lecturer, and management consultant.
Career
Born in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Meyers attended public schools and in 1950 earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and in 1954 a M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in business from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. He joined the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in 1950, and later moved to Chrysler Corporation. Eight years with Chrysler, he became Director of Manufacturing for the company's overseas plants in 1961 and lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
In 1962 he became Director of Purchasing for American Motors Corporation in Detroit. He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group and Executive Vice-President. In May 1977 Meyers was named president and Chief Operating Officer, succeeding the retiring William Luneburg. Although, Meyers was the executive who had been against AMC's purchase of Jeep in 1970 (of which the press kept reminding him), he was now one of Jeep's biggest proponents.
Upon the retirement of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy Dikeman Chapin, Jr. was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Motors Corporation . Chapin's father, Roy D...
in October 1977, Meyers became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. At the time, Meyers was 49 years old and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry bringing a wealth of manufacturing experience. "The company was looking for a lot more than a steady hand on the tiller — it was looking for a savior" but Meyers disagreed and argued that the company could survive and remain a factor in the automobile industry by abandoning its policy of head-on competition and instead focusing on and revamping its four-wheel-drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.
Meyers retired early in 1982, by which time the French state-owned Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
company controlled 46% of American Motors. He was succeeded as chairman by former AMC President W. Paul Tippett Jr.
Subsequently he was the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and Professor of Business at Carnegie Mellon University's Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He has written a book about business crisis management and co-authored another. Meyers is now a business consultant and public speaker. He is also a Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
in Ann Arbor.
He is President of Gerald C. Meyers Associates, Inc., a management consulting
Management consulting
Management consulting indicates both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing organizational problems and development of plans for improvement....
firm that assists and advises senior corporate officers. An expert in corporate governance and crisis management, he is also a commentator on the automobile industry.
On April 17, 2007 he received an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
, doctorate of business practice, from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
.
Author
Gerald C. Meyers wrote When It Hits the Fan, Managing the Nine Crises of Business, published by Houghton-Mifflin. He also co-authored Dealers, Healers, Brutes & Saviors, Eight Winning Styles for Solving Giant Business Crises with his daughter, Susan Meyers, published by John Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
in 2000.
External links
- Dealers, Healers, Brutes & Saviors
- University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Faculty Biographies
Gerald C. Meyers, former chairman and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of American Motors Corporation (AMC) is an industrialist, author, lecturer, and management consultant.
Career
Born in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Meyers attended public schools and in 1950 earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and in 1954 a M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in business from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. He joined the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in 1950, and later moved to Chrysler Corporation. Eight years with Chrysler, he became Director of Manufacturing for the company's overseas plants in 1961 and lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
In 1962 he became Director of Purchasing for American Motors Corporation in Detroit. He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group and Executive Vice-President. In May 1977 Meyers was named president and Chief Operating Officer, succeeding the retiring William Luneburg. Although, Meyers was the executive who had been against AMC's purchase of Jeep in 1970 (of which the press kept reminding him), he was now one of Jeep's biggest proponents.
Upon the retirement of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy Dikeman Chapin, Jr. was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Motors Corporation . Chapin's father, Roy D...
in October 1977, Meyers became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. At the time, Meyers was 49 years old and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry bringing a wealth of manufacturing experience. "The company was looking for a lot more than a steady hand on the tiller — it was looking for a savior" but Meyers disagreed and argued that the company could survive and remain a factor in the automobile industry by abandoning its policy of head-on competition and instead focusing on and revamping its four-wheel-drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.
Meyers retired early in 1982, by which time the French state-owned Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
company controlled 46% of American Motors. He was succeeded as chairman by former AMC President W. Paul Tippett Jr.
Subsequently he was the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and Professor of Business at Carnegie Mellon University's Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He has written a book about business crisis management and co-authored another. Meyers is now a business consultant and public speaker. He is also a Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
in Ann Arbor.
He is President of Gerald C. Meyers Associates, Inc., a management consulting
Management consulting
Management consulting indicates both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing organizational problems and development of plans for improvement....
firm that assists and advises senior corporate officers. An expert in corporate governance and crisis management, he is also a commentator on the automobile industry.
On April 17, 2007 he received an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
, doctorate of business practice, from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
.
Author
Gerald C. Meyers wrote When It Hits the Fan, Managing the Nine Crises of Business, published by Houghton-Mifflin. He also co-authored Dealers, Healers, Brutes & Saviors, Eight Winning Styles for Solving Giant Business Crises with his daughter, Susan Meyers, published by John Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
in 2000.
External links
- Dealers, Healers, Brutes & Saviors
- University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Faculty Biographies
Gerald C. Meyers, former chairman and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of American Motors Corporation (AMC) is an industrialist, author, lecturer, and management consultant.
Career
Born in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Meyers attended public schools and in 1950 earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and in 1954 a M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in business from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. He joined the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in 1950, and later moved to Chrysler Corporation. Eight years with Chrysler, he became Director of Manufacturing for the company's overseas plants in 1961 and lived in Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
In 1962 he became Director of Purchasing for American Motors Corporation in Detroit. He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group and Executive Vice-President. In May 1977 Meyers was named president and Chief Operating Officer, succeeding the retiring William Luneburg. Although, Meyers was the executive who had been against AMC's purchase of Jeep in 1970 (of which the press kept reminding him), he was now one of Jeep's biggest proponents.
Upon the retirement of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy Dikeman Chapin, Jr. was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Motors Corporation . Chapin's father, Roy D...
in October 1977, Meyers became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. At the time, Meyers was 49 years old and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry bringing a wealth of manufacturing experience. "The company was looking for a lot more than a steady hand on the tiller — it was looking for a savior" but Meyers disagreed and argued that the company could survive and remain a factor in the automobile industry by abandoning its policy of head-on competition and instead focusing on and revamping its four-wheel-drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.
Meyers retired early in 1982, by which time the French state-owned Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
company controlled 46% of American Motors. He was succeeded as chairman by former AMC President W. Paul Tippett Jr.
Subsequently he was the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and Professor of Business at Carnegie Mellon University's Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He has written a book about business crisis management and co-authored another. Meyers is now a business consultant and public speaker. He is also a Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
in Ann Arbor.
He is President of Gerald C. Meyers Associates, Inc., a management consulting
Management consulting
Management consulting indicates both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing organizational problems and development of plans for improvement....
firm that assists and advises senior corporate officers. An expert in corporate governance and crisis management, he is also a commentator on the automobile industry.
On April 17, 2007 he received an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
, doctorate of business practice, from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
.
Author
Gerald C. Meyers wrote When It Hits the Fan, Managing the Nine Crises of Business, published by Houghton-Mifflin. He also co-authored Dealers, Healers, Brutes & Saviors, Eight Winning Styles for Solving Giant Business Crises with his daughter, Susan Meyers, published by John Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
in 2000.