Natural Resources >> CEO Interviews >> September 27, 2004
ROBERT C. STEMPEL is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energy
Conversion Devices, Inc., an energy and information company
headquartered in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Mr. Stempel retired as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from General Motors Corporation in
November 1992. He was named Chairman and CEO in August 1990. Prior to
serving as Chairman, he had been President and Chief Operating Officer
of General Motors from September 1, 1987. He graduated from Bloomfield
High School in New Jersey in 1951. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in
Massachusetts in 1955. He was granted a Master's degree in Business
Administration by Michigan State University in 1970. After graduation
from college, he began his engineering career in Bridgeport,
Connecticut, with the Wire and Cable Division of General Electric
Corporation. In January 1956, Mr. Stempel began his active service with
the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers at the
Engineering School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He completed active duty and
received an honorable discharge as a First Lieutenant in January 1958.
After joining GM's Oldsmobile Division as a Senior Detailer in the
Chassis Design Department in January 1958, Mr. Stempel held various
positions with Oldsmobile: 1962 -Senior Designer; 1964 - Transmission
Design Engineer; 1969 - Motor Engineer and 1972 - Assistant Chief
Engineer. Mr. Stempel was appointed Special Assistant to the President
of General Motors in 1973. He joined the Engineering Department of the
Chevrolet Division in 1974: 1974 - Chief Engineer - Engine & Components
and 1975 - Director of Engineering. On November 6, 1978, Mr. Stempel was
appointed General Manager of the Pontiac Motor Division and elected a
Vice President of General Motors. In September 1980, he was appointed
Managing Director of Adam Opel AG in Germany, with responsibility for
European-sourced passenger-car operations. Two years later he returned
to the US and was named General Manager of Chevrolet. In January 1984,
he was appointed Vice President and Group Executive in charge of the
Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac Group. In February 1986, he was elected an
Executive Vice President in charge of the Worldwide Truck & Bus Group
and the Overseas Group. He also became a member of the Board of
Directors. He served on the Board until his retirement in November 1992. Profile
us a quick overview of what you are doing and what it means for the
company.
Mr. Stempel: As a matter of fact, we just
