SOUTHGATE, MI — ASC announced that auto-industry veteran Chris Theodore has joined the company as vice chairman. Theodore, 55, will report to ASC President and CEO Paul Wilbur, and will immediately assume primary responsibility for all of the company’s product development activities, while also assisting with operations and all other automotive business matters at ASC.
Well-known in the global auto industry, dubbed by some as “the engineer’s engineer” and often called “the father of the Ford GT,” Theodore’s distinguished 33-year career includes vice presidencies at two automakers (Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler Corp.), a senior position at a third (American Motors Corp.), a stint as a research engineer at a fourth (General Motors Corp.’s Detroit Diesel division) and a total of five years working as a vice president at two independent specialty-vehicle companies (Cars & Concepts Inc. and Legend Industries Inc.).
In addition to the Ford GT, other landmark vehicle programs with which Theodore is closely associated include the current Ford Mustang, the current Ford 150 pickup, the Chrysler PT Cruiser, the original Dodge Viper, the second-generation Chrysler Corp. minivans, the original Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Fiat Spyder Turbo of the early 1980s. Theodore most recently worked for Ford Motor Co., where he headed all North American product development before retiring last year as vice president of advance product creation.
“Chris Theodore is, simply put, one of the true, car-loving superstars in the auto business worldwide, and we’re thrilled to have him join our team of like-minded ‘car nuts’ here at ASC,” said Wilbur. “Chris and I worked together for several years at Chrysler Corp. before he joined Ford, and I never ceased to be amazed at his skills as an engineer, his keen eye for detail and, most of all, his overriding passion to develop not just good, but great vehicles.”
“Retirement gave me a chance to reflect on the state of the industry, and, frankly, the ideas for innovative new products began to build up inside me to the point that I knew it was time to get back into the game,” said Theodore. “And the one option that was by far the most attractive, personally as well as professionally, was ASC. There’s tremendous growth potential in specialty- vehicle development and production, both for our clients and for ASC. Meantime, on a personal level I’m happy to be joining ASC because not only has Paul Wilbur assembled a very strong management team here, but they’re all certifiable ‘car crazies’ — something I’ve occasionally been accused of myself.”
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