CHARLES CHAPMAN
MARINE, ENGINEER, INDUSTRIALIST
23-3-1926 - 18-12-2012
By WILLIAM CHAPMAN
CHARLES Sherman Chapman, a senior General Motors executive who for the final 12 years of his career was based in Melbourne overseeing the company's operations in the region, has died in the US at the age of 86.
Charles was born in Duluth, Minnesota. His family was of modest means during the Great Depression, and he started working at an early age. He once remarked that he earned the money to buy all the clothes he ever owned starting from when he was a teenager. Because of his family's difficult circumstances, he attended four different high schools in Minnesota and Michigan.
In 1943, on the day after his graduation from high school, he joined the US Marines, and served as a corporal in the battle of Iwo Jima against the Japanese in early 1945, working in radar and communications. He was preparing for the invasion of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped and World War II ended. He was discharged in 1946.
On his return home, he attended college at the University of Detroit and Wayne State University in Detroit on the G.I. Bill while also working. A few months after beginning college, he met Mary Elizabeth Carleton and in 1948 they were married.
He graduated summa cum laude from Wayne State with a BSc in industrial engineering in 1950 and went on to get a masters in automotive engineering from the Chrysler Institute of Engineering in 1952. He continued to take night engineering and business classes for the next 14 years, earning an MBA from Michigan State in 1966 and accumulating the equivalent of a second masters of engineering.
In 1956 he joined the Buick motor division of General Motors, working in the design and development of automatic transmissions. In his 11 years as an engineer at Buick, he earned eight patents related to transmissions and braking systems. He received regular promotions, eventually becoming assistant chief engineer.
In 1967 he moved with his wife and five children to Frankfurt, West Germany, where he was chief engineer of General Motors' Opel division until 1975. During some of those years, Opel was the best-selling car company in Germany, outselling even Volkswagen.
In 1976 he moved to Melbourne where he served as managing director of General Motors Holden until he retired in 1988. At retirement he was a vice-president of General Motors, in charge of Australia, New Zealand and south-east Asia.
Upon retiring, he and his wife moved to Evergreen, Colorado. Mary died in 1993 after suffering from cancer for several years. In 1994, he married Delores Spinzig.
Charles was an easy person to be with. He was humorous, generous, friendly, positive, caring and smart. He was also active athletically throughout his life, working out regularly each morning, skiing into his 70s and a lifelong golfer.
He is survived by Delores, five children, three stepchildren, 10 grandchildren, six step grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one step great-grandchild.
William Chapman is a son of Charles Chapman.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Who was Charles Sherman Chapman and why should General Motors investors know his name?
Charles Sherman Chapman was a senior General Motors executive and automotive engineer who rose through Buick, led Opel as chief engineer in Germany, and served as managing director of General Motors Holden (GMH) in Melbourne. He finished his career as a GM vice‑president responsible for Australia, New Zealand and south‑east Asia, making him a notable figure in GM’s regional leadership history.
What positions did Chapman hold at Buick, Opel and General Motors Holden (GMH)?
Chapman joined Buick in 1956 working on automatic transmissions and became assistant chief engineer. From 1967 to 1975 he was chief engineer of GM’s Opel division in Frankfurt. In 1976 he moved to Melbourne as managing director of General Motors Holden and retired from GM in 1988 as a vice‑president in charge of Australia, New Zealand and south‑east Asia.
When did Charles Chapman lead General Motors Holden and what was his regional responsibility?
He served as managing director of General Motors Holden from 1976 until his retirement in 1988. At retirement he was a GM vice‑president responsible for GM operations in Australia, New Zealand and south‑east Asia.
How did Chapman’s engineering work and patents contribute to GM’s vehicle technology?
During his 11 years as an engineer at Buick Chapman earned eight patents related to automatic transmissions and braking systems. Those patents reflect hands‑on contributions to drivetrain and braking technology during a formative period for GM engineering.
What was Opel’s market standing while Chapman was chief engineer, and why does that matter to investors?
The article notes that during some years when Chapman was chief engineer (1967–1975), Opel was the best‑selling car company in Germany, even outselling Volkswagen. For investors, that highlights the strong market performance of a major GM division during his tenure.
What education and background prepared Chapman for senior roles at General Motors?
Chapman earned a BSc in industrial engineering (summa cum laude) from Wayne State in 1950, a master’s in automotive engineering from the Chrysler Institute of Engineering in 1952, and an MBA from Michigan State in 1966, along with extensive night classes and additional engineering study. He also served in the US Marines in World War II, gaining technical experience in radar and communications.
What can everyday investors learn from Chapman’s career about leadership in multinational auto companies?
Chapman’s career — moving from technical roles and patents at Buick to leadership at Opel and GM Holden, and finally to a regional VP role — illustrates how technical expertise can translate into strategic regional leadership in a multinational auto company. His progression underscores the value of engineering depth combined with management training for steering operations across different markets.
When did Charles Chapman die and what personal details did the article provide?
Charles Sherman Chapman died in the United States on 18 December 2012 at the age of 86. The article notes his humble upbringing, military service at Iwo Jima, long marriage to Mary Elizabeth Carleton (who died in 1993), a later marriage to Delores Spinzig, and that he was survived by children, stepchildren, grandchildren and great‑grandchildren.
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