Editing American Motors Corporation (section)

==Leadership==
=== 1954: George W. Mason ===

The 1954 merger of [[Nash-Kelvinator Corporation]] and [[Hudson Motor Car Company]] that established American Motors was led by Nash-Kelvinator president [[George W. Mason]] to reap benefits from the strengths of the two firms to battle the much larger "[[Big Three (automobile manufacturers)|Big Three]]" automakers ([[General Motors]], [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], and [[Chrysler]]). The merger was initially intended to be three-way, with Packard being the number three. Mason had first discussed the possibility of a merger with Packard president [[James J. Nance]] in the late 1940s. Nance insisted that if Packard were to join, he would have to be the CEO of the new company. Mason fully intended to lead the new company, thus the deal did not go through.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allpar.com/amc/ |title=The Spirit Is Still Alive: American Motors Corporation 1954–1987 |website=allpar.com |first=Chad |last=Quella |access-date=August 20, 2019 |archive-date=July 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718111945/https://www.allpar.com/amc/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Packard acquired Studebaker two months after Nash acquired Hudson.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://tampabayamc.com/wp/?page_id=1300 |title= AMC Myths & AMC V8 Engines |work= Tampa Bay AMC Car Club }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Mason became CEO and president of the new company, and Hudson's president [[A.E. Barit]] retired to become an American Motors board member. Mason selected long-time Nash associate and future governor of Michigan, [[George W. Romney]], as vice president. [[Roy Abernethy]], ex-vice president of sales for [[Willys]], was hired to be vice president of sales.

=== 1954–1962: George W. Romney ===

Following Mason's sudden death on October 8, 1954, Romney took over, reorganizing the company and focusing American Motors' future on a new small car line.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861782,00.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081215041756/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861782,00.html |archive-date= December 15, 2008 |url-access=subscription |title=Gamble on the Rambler |magazine=Time |date=December 19, 1955 |access-date=February 8, 2011}}</ref> Mason's death also allowed Romney to put an end to any further discussions for a merger between American Motors and [[Studebaker-Packard]].

By the end of 1957, the legacy Nash and Hudson brands were completely phased out and replaced with the [[Rambler (automobile)|Rambler]] and [[Nash Metropolitan|Metropolitan]] brands. The company struggled initially, but Rambler's sales took off under Romney. A Rambler won the 1959 [[Mobil Economy Run]], and by 1960, was the third-most-popular brand of automobile in the United States, behind Ford and Chevrolet.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864627,00.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090918105420/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864627,00.html |archive-date=September 18, 2009 |url-access=subscription |title=Autos: Victory for Rambler |magazine=Time |date=April 20, 1959|access-date=August 31, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1965-1966-rambler-ambassador1.htm |title=1965–1966 Rambler Ambassador |publisher=auto.howstuffworks |date=October 23, 2007 |access-date=February 8, 2011 |archive-date=July 21, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120721003820/http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1965-1966-rambler-ambassador1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 1962–1967: Roy Abernethy ===

George Romney left American Motors in 1962 to run for governor in Michigan and was replaced as CEO by Roy Abernethy. Abernethy had been with AMC since the 1954 merger and as vice president of sales was responsible for successfully building AMC's sales and distribution network during the 1950s and early 1960s.

After two model years (1963 and 1964) of only producing compact cars, Abernethy shifted the focus of American Motors back to bigger and more profitable cars such as the Ambassador line and tried to move away from the perceived negative of the Rambler's [[economy car]] image. Ambassador sales jumped from 18,647 in 1964 to over 64,000 in 1965. In 1966, they went to more than 71,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.autos.ca/classic-cars/motoring-memories-amc-ambassador-1965-1966/ |first=Bill |last=Vance |title=Motoring Memories: AMC Ambassador, 1965–1966 |publisher=Autos Canada |date=March 17, 2006 |access-date=January 1, 2013 |archive-date=October 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010162008/http://www.autos.ca/classic-cars/motoring-memories-amc-ambassador-1965-1966/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the enormous costs of developing the new cars and engines meant American Motors now had problems in securing [[working capital]] to keep the company going. American Motors sales dropped 20% in the first half of 1966, and the firm reported a fiscal six-month loss of $4.2 million on sales of $479 million. Consequently, [[Robert B. Evans]] invested more than $2 million because American Motors's stock was selling for only 60% of the company's [[net worth]]; thus, he became its largest stockholder and was named its chairman on June 6, 1966, replacing Richard E. Cross, who continued as a director and chairman of the executive committee.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,899250,00.html |title=American Motors' New Gospel |magazine=Time |date=June 17, 1966 |access-date=March 29, 2023}}</ref> In the quarter ending September 30, 1966, American Motors recorded a loss of $12,648,000 before tax credits and deferred tax assets. In the face of deteriorating financial and market positions, Abernethy "retired" as CEO in 1967, and Evans "resigned" as chairman.

=== 1967–1977: Roy D. Chapin Jr. ===

Abernethy was replaced by [[Roy D. Chapin Jr.]], the son of Hudson co-founder [[Roy D. Chapin]].<ref>{{cite news|title=American Motors Picks Chapin For Chief as 2 Men Step Down; Evans and Abernethy Drop Out of Management Team Luneburg Is President|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/10/archives/american-motors-picks-chapin-for-chief-as-2-men-step-down-evans-and.html|url-access=subscription|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 10, 1967|page=53|access-date=January 11, 2014|archive-date=August 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828170713/https://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/10/archives/american-motors-picks-chapin-for-chief-as-2-men-step-down-evans-and.html|url-status=live}}</ref> William V. Luneberg replaced Evans as president. American Motors' public explanation for the removals was that the two had "stepped aside according to a plan to give a younger team an opportunity to move the company forward".<ref>{{cite news |title=American Motors' Future |url=https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00031648/00043/8 |newspaper=Gitmo Gazette |agency=AP |date=January 10, 1967 |page=8 |via=George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida |access-date=September 2, 2019 |archive-date=September 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902002555/https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00031648/00043/8 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Chapin took charge of revitalizing the company, and designer Dick Teague economized by developing several vehicles from common stampings. The [[AMC Matador]] was in reality a facelift of the [[AMC Rebel]], itself derived from the 1967 [[AMC Ambassador]] platform. While prices and costs were cut, Teague designed new and more sporty automobiles resulting in the [[AMC Javelin|Javelin]] and [[AMC AMX|AMX]] [[muscle car]]s; and the [[AMC Hornet]]. From 1970 Jeep production complemented AMC's existing passenger-car business. Under Chapin's leadership, AMC produced all-new compact car designs based on the Hornet platform including the [[AMC Gremlin|Gremlin]] and [[AMC Concord|Concord]].

=== 1977–1982: Gerald C. Meyers ===

On May 24, 1977, [[Gerald C. Meyers]] replaced the retiring William Luneburg as president and Chief Operating Officer. Only 5 months later, upon the retirement of Chapin, Meyers became chairman and CEO on October 21, 1977.<ref name="foster">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D05p17q4cSYC&q=Gerald+C.+Meyers+AMC&pg=PA165 |page=165 |title=The Story of Jeep |first=Patrick R. |last=Foster |publisher=KP Books |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-87349-735-0 |access-date=June 27, 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=ward>{{cite book|title=Ward's Automotive Yearbook |publisher= Ward's Reports |year=1979 |page=237 |volume=41}}</ref> At the time, Meyers was 49 years old, and became the youngest top executive in the automobile industry.<ref name="hyde">{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PerGbKxOPZYC&q=Gerald+Meyers+AMC+born&pg=PA231 |page=231 |title=Storied independent automakers: Nash, Hudson, and American Motors |first=Charles K. |last=Hyde |year=2009 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |isbn= 978-0-8143-3446-1 |access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref> Meyers abandoned AMC's policy of head-on competition and instead focused on revamping its four-wheel drive vehicles, a market segment left untended by the large automakers, and by acquiring advanced technology.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=GaggAQAAMAAJ&q=AMC+The+company+was+looking+for+a+lot+more+than+a+steady+hand+on+the+tiller+—+it+was+looking+for+a+savior |title=American Motors |magazine=Financial World |volume=149 |issue=1 |page=128 |date=January 1980 |access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref>

Meyer's began talks with [[Renault]] in 1979 and from 1980, American Motors partnered with the French automaker to help finance their manufacturing operations, obtain much-needed capital, and source subcompact vehicles.<ref name="BW-1982">{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=X44pAQAAIAAJ&q=Gerald+C.+Meyers,+53,+a+20-year+veteran+of+the+company+who+orchestrated+the+complicated+AMC's+linkup+between |magazine=Business Week |title=American Motors |page=21 |year=1982 |access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref>

On December 16, 1980, Renault became the principal owner of American Motors.<ref name="Peterson D1"/>

At age 53, Meyers retired from the company in February 1982. By that time, Renault controlled 46% of American Motors.<ref name="battling">{{cite magazine |url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,954995,00.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061106104821/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,954995,00.html |archive-date= November 6, 2006 |title=Battling for Survival |date=February 1, 1982 |magazine=Time |access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref>

=== 1982–1984: W. Paul Tippett Jr. ===

Meyers was succeeded as chairman by former American Motors president [[W. Paul Tippett Jr.]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921599,00.html |first=John S. |last=Demott |title=On the Comeback Trail |magazine=Time |date=March 12, 1984 |access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref> At the time, Tippett was a member of American Motors management for only three years<ref name="BW-1982"/> but had overseen almost all vehicle-making operations during his time as president.<ref name="WSJ">{{cite news |title=American Motors Looks Outside Its Ranks And Names W.P. Tippett Jr. as President |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=October 23, 1978}}</ref> [[Jose Dedeurwaerder]], a Renault manager, replaced Tippet as president.

Tippet's tenure as CEO was short-lived and in September 1984, he was replaced by Dedeurwaerder.<ref>{{cite news |title=AMC'S Tippet to head home-furnishing firm |date=June 28, 1985 |first=James |last=Mateja |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-06-28-8502110570-story.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225074539/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-06-28-8502110570-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Renault officer named A.M.C. chief executive |date=September 29, 1984 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/29/business/renault-officer-named-amc-chief-executive.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-date=August 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828043833/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/29/business/renault-officer-named-amc-chief-executive.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 1984–1986: Jose J. Dedeurwaerder ===

On September 28, 1984, Dedeurwaerder was promoted to CEO, with Tippett remaining on as chairman.<ref>{{cite news |title=Renault Officer Named A.M.C. Chief Executive: New Chief At A.M.C. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 29, 1984}}</ref> On February 25, 1985, AMC announced its first full-year profit since 1979.<ref>{{cite news |title=AMC Earns First Full-Year Profit Since '79 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=February 26, 1985}}</ref> The success was short-lived as on July 31, 1985, AMC announced that it had received a $50 million loan from Renault following a second-quarter loss of $70.4 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=A.M.C. Posts a Big Loss And Gets Renault Loan |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 1, 1985}}</ref>

Under Dedeurwaerder, [[Chrysler]] entered an agreement with American Motors in 1985 to produce Dodge Diplomats and Plymouth Furys, as well as Dodge Omnis and Plymouth Horizons in American Motors' [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]], plant. At the time, American Motors had excess manufacturing capacity.

In January 1986, Dedeurwaerder was named Renault's executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing.<ref>{{cite news |title=AMC's President, Dedeurwaerder, Gets New Posts at Renault |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 3, 1986}}</ref> He remained president and CEO, and chairman of the executive committee at AMC until March 23, 1986, when he was succeeded in the former two roles by [[Joseph E. Cappy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=AMC Names Joseph Cappy President, Chief |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=March 24, 1986}}</ref>

By 1986, Renault had lost $700 million on $22 billion of sales in the U.S. market, and was $9 billion in debt.

=== 1986–1987: Joseph E. Cappy ===

On March 23, 1986, former executive vice president of operations [[Joseph E. Cappy]] was named president and chief executive officer of American Motors.<ref>{{cite news |title=AMC Names Joseph Cappy President, Chief |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=March 24, 1986}}</ref>

In 1987, after further new-vehicle development that included the [[Eagle Medallion|Medallion]] (a rebadged [[Renault 21]]) and [[Giorgetto Giugiaro]]'s Italian-designed new [[full-size car|full-sized]] [[front-wheel drive]] sedan that became the [[Eagle Premier]],<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Jim |last=Dunne |title=Inside Detroit|magazine=Popular Mechanics|date=June 1986|volume=163|issue=8 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0OMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42 |page=42 |access-date=May 31, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Business Week|date=April 28, 1986|title=Can American Motors shed its sad-sack image? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oUw1AAAAMAAJ&q=A+two-+door+coupe,+the+X-59,+debuts+in+1988|access-date=May 23, 2012}}</ref> Renault sold its 47% ownership stake in American Motors to Chrysler, which made a public offer to purchase all the remaining outstanding shares of American Motors stock. Chrysler acquired American Motors in August 1987. The primary task of Chrysler management was to integrate the two companies as quickly as possible. American Motors' final CEO, was tasked with achieving this by Chrysler president Gerald Greenwald.<ref>{{cite news |title=A merger of equals? Someone has to be in charge |first=Joe |last=Cappy |date=June 10, 2019 |url=https://www.autonews.com/commentary/merger-equals-someone-has-be-charge |work=Automotive News |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226184627/https://www.autonews.com/commentary/merger-equals-someone-has-be-charge |url-status=live }}</ref>

After the buyout Cappy joined Chrysler as group vice president of the new [[Jeep-Eagle]] division.<ref>{{cite news |title=What Happened to AMC's Executives |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 22, 1987}}</ref> In 1989, he was named Chrysler's vice president of brand development.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Patterson |first1=Gregory |title=Chrysler Reorganizes Marketing Lines, Ends Structure as a Holding Company |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=November 7, 1989}}</ref> The following year he became Chrysler's vice president of international operations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guiles |first1=Melinda Grenier |last2=Carnevale |first2=Mary Lu |title=Black & Decker Is Said to Pick Hammes of Chrysler to Lead Power-Tool Division |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 15, 1990}}</ref>