Charles M. "Chuck" Jordan died today at the age of 83. He was responsible for overseeing some of GM's most iconic designs. Here is a remembrance from the man who holds his job today. — Ed.
Chuck Jordan was the person who hired me as an intern in 1971 while he was working for Bill Mitchell, and I will always be appreciative of the opportunity he gave me to join GM's Design Organization. Chuck was always involved in the hiring of talented, young designers, and he took great interest in their growth and development.
He was a strong creative force at GM Design, and a passionate leader. It always felt as if every new project he was leading represented a new mountain to climb, and was a fresh opportunity to create new trends and statements in automotive design. He had the charisma and passion of few others in the industry.
Most people associate Chuck Jordan with very tailored and crisp designs of Cadillac and Corvette automobiles, but Chuck also had a passion for truck design and created some of GM's most significant concept and production trucks of the 1950s.
More recently, I'm glad that Chuck had an opportunity to visit GM Design just this past summer while he was back in the Detroit area for the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. He spent hours touring our Design Center in Warren and talking with our design staff. It was a wonderful to have him back in the place in which he helped create such a rich legacy.
Ed Welburn is GM's Vice President of Global Design