Saturday, May 27, 2023
1990s Cadillac Design
I recognize the two people on the left of the picture.
Extreme left: Jerry Palmer (2nd in command at GM Design)
2nd from left: Chuck Jordan (VP of GM design - head guy)
When I worked at GM Design's Concept Center California (1990-1996), Chuck Jordan visited the California studio from time to time.
I remember on visit he made where he reviewed the work going on through the two studios at CCC.
He wore these very light yellow colored pants that were basically see through. You could see the pocket material through the pants.
I don't think anyone said anything to him.
Everyone was very deferential to Chuck.
I just remember thinking "what the heck is he wearing!? See through pants?! Really?!"
Chuck retired in 1996 and Jerry Palmer was temporarily in charge of GM Design. One of the first things he did was shut down the California studio (he hated the place).
I was on a 6 month assignment at the GM Design Center in Warren, MI when the PA system in the building came on (I didn't know that they had a PA system. I'd not heard it being used before), while I was in one of the hallways in the building.
Jerry came on the PA system and announced that CCC was being closed.
I think I still had 3 months left in my 6 month stint but went back to California right away.
They offered most people a job in Warren. I think about 1/2 the people went.
I took the severance & later opened a brokerage account with it (stocks).
I think Jerry thought he was next in line for the VP of Design job (kinda made sense since he was already #2). But they gave the job to Wayne Cherry (was working in GM Europe design at the time). Jerry soon after retired.
Jerry Palmer completely changed the trajectory of my career/life.
Went from working for Ford Design then GM Design to working for import companies' US distributors.
A few years after I left GM (late1990s?), I went to a local automotive literature swap meet in Pasadena (at the City College in one of their parking lots).
Retired Chuck Jordan was there (with his son who was a designer for Mazda at the time, I think) selling mostly Ferrari models (he was a big Ferrari fan. I remember walking through the GM Design executive indoor garage and seeing his red Testarossa parked inside).
I bought a Mercury brand (Italian) Ferrari 250LM die-cast model (1/43 scale) from him.
Coming full circle, I've recently been involved in the joint project EV being built by GM. At the end of last year, made a trip to the GM Tech Center in Warren for a meeting between the two companies. Set foot on the Tech Center grounds for the first time in about 26 years...
Looks like one of the hallways in the GM Design building.
Any design mockup with a see through greenhouse is basically a nearly final design.
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