AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY MUSEUM ADVISER

Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Michigan |  Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Ohio  | 
Louisville Art Center Association, Louisville KY |  The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn MI

Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit MI: 
​"Detroit Style: Car Design in the Motor City 1950-2020" 6/2020,  Advisor. 
"Detroit Style: 1925-1950" 2002. Advised vehicle selection.

Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo OH: Centennial Exhibition, 2002. “Toledo Wheels,” a history of the design of the passenger vehicles of the Willys company from its earliest days (1909) through WW II (Jeep) and the evolution of the modern SUV 1987, published as a chapter in the exhibition catalog.

Louisville Art Center Association, Louisville KY: "Designing an Icon", 2009.
Help organized material for display. Chaired a Automotive Design Panel during the Opening Event, consisting of Current and Retired Automotive Designer. 
Oversaw traveling portion of the show to ensure set up and display was accurate. Provided public Lectures associated with the traveling show.  proceeded to travel to various cities 2009

The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn MI: Advise on the new organization and display of the Automobile portion of the collection and display, 1986.

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Retired chief designer, GM DESIGN CENTER

Chief Designer Buick Le Sabre Production Studio  |  Chief Designer Buick 1 Studio, Exterior Production  |  
Chief Designer, Advanced 1 Studio   |  Chief Designer Pontiac Studio, Exterior Production  |  
Chief Designer Advanced 2 Studio   |  Chief Designer Design Development Studio

Thirty Nine years of experience in automotive design, 1957 - 1996. Seventeen years as Studio Chief of Buick 1 Exterior division, 1979 - 1996. Sixteen years as Studio Chief of Pontiac Styling, 1963 - 1979. 
View list of vehicles worked further down this page.

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PROFESSOR OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Wayne State University, Detroit MI 1963 - 1989  |  College for Creative Studies, Detroit MI 1980 - 2007  

Developed a Wayne State university Product Design course for students interested in a career as an industrial designer. Course offered 1963 - 1978 instructing students in fundamental concepts of usability design of form and function. 

Created a "History of Modern Design" Course offered at Wayne State University 1979-1989, and at College for Creative Studies 1980 - 2007. Course spanned 1850 - Present, covering a history of styles. Course took place over two semesters of student course work. 

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Education:

Pratt Institute

Brooklyn, New York, USA 

Master of Industrial Design Degree. Class of 1960
Summer Internship General Motors Styling, General Motors Technical Center, Warren MI 1957.
​Master's Thesis subject: "The Aircraft Images in American Automotive Design 1933-1950"

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university of louisville
​college of arts & Sciences

Louisville KY, USA

Bachelor Art Degree, Major Painting & Art History. Class of 1953
Graduated Class Salutatorian, Woodcock Honor Society.

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DIRECTED DESIGN OF FOLLOWING vehicles:

2000 Buick Le Sabre
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1996 Buick Park Avenue and Ultra

1995 Buick Riviera .  Numerous design awards, including: Nomination for “Design of the Decade,” Philadelphia Inquirer, 1998; “Car of the Year” award, National Automotive History Collection, 1966; “Best Luxury Coupe, “ Motor Week, 1995; Design and Engineering award, Popular Mechanics Magazine, 1994

1992 Buick Le Sabre

1991 Buick Park Avenue and Park Avenue Ultra

1991 Buick Regal 4-door sedan

1986 Buick Le Sabre

1985 Buick Electra (including T-Type).  Design Excellence Award, Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA)

1982 Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird.  Basic body shape developed in Advanced 1 Studio with Assistant, Roger Hughet

1978 Pontiac Grand Prix.  Advanced studio pre-production development only

1973 Pontiac Le Mans, Grand Am

1972 Pontiac Catalina, Bonneville, Grand VillE

1970 1/2 - 1973 Pontiac Firebird

1970-1972 Pontiac Catalina, Bonneville

1968 Pontiac Le Mans/GTO.  Advanced studio pre-production development only.  “Gordon Buehrig Award,” Eyes on the Classics, 1994.

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Contributing Designer:
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado,  Rendering and full size tape drawing of original “wheel hop” theme by Leslie Johnson

1963 Pontiac Grand Prix.  Rear end design theme only.

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SELECT RELATED ACTIVITIES

Motor Muster Father's Day Exhibit: Greenfield Village, THE HENRY FORD, Dearborn, MI
Narrator for Parade of Exhibitors, 1960-1973 Automobiles, 2004 - Present, lectured most years.
Slide Lecture Series: Motor Muster is an exhibit for cars dating from 1933-1973.  Each lecture is devoted to a decade of American automobile design”. Series was given in 1995-2003 and 2005.
            “Streamlining Comes to the American Automobile”
            “Streamlining the American Automobile; Maturity, then Eclipse”
            “Bombs and Fins; American Automobile Design in the 1950’s”
            “The 1960s, Golden Age of American Automobile Design”


Member, Scientific Committee:
“Detroit Style; Automotive Form 1925-1950,” The Detroit Institute of Arts, 1985
 

Slide Lecture:
IDSA Annual Meeting, GM Tech Center, 1985.  ​Keynote address: "A Brief History of American Automobile Design, A Designer’s View,” Videotaped. periodically updated and presented numerous later occasions.

SAE World Congress, Detroit, April 12, 2005. “American Automobile Design in the 20th Century, A Designer’s View.”

Arts and Crafts Conference, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC, 1990. “Gustav Stickley Furniture, A Brief Design Analysis,” 
 

Writing on design:
Toledo Museum of Art Centennial Exhibition, 2002. “Toledo Wheels,” a history of the design of the passenger vehicles of the Willys company from its earliest days (1909) through WW II (Jeep) and the evolution of the modern SUV 1987, published as a chapter in the exhibition catalog.
 

Published interviews in:
            “The Art of American Car Design,” C. Edson Armi, 1987, Penn State U Press.
            “American Car Design Now,” C. Edson Armi, 2004, Rizzoli 


Gallery Talk: 
“American Arts & Crafts Furniture,” Given in connection with exhibition: Decorative Arts 1900; Highlights from Private Collections, The Detroit Institute of Arts, 1993.
 
“The Early Craftsman Period,” published in Gustav Stickley: His Craft, A. Patricia Bartinique.  Morris Plains, NY: Craftsman Farms Foundation, 1992.
 
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Planning Board Member:
City of Birmingham, MI.  Member 1977-1987. Vice Chairman, 1986.

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SEE IMPORTANT AUTOMOTIVE RELATED INTERVIEWS & VIDEOS
​IN THE NEWS/VIDEOS SECTION OF THIS SITE

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Bill Porter, Pratt Alumni Day, Oct 2017