Roger Smith
Roger Smith
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Roger Smith was an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is commonly known as Roger S. Smith.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: September 8, 1932
Died: October 4, 1999
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Smith's nationality was American, and his primary profession was a business executive.
Early Life and Background
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Roger Smith was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. His early life significantly influenced his perspective on work ethic and personal responsibility. Smith developed an interest in business at an early age, which eventually led him to attend the University of Michigan.
Major Accomplishments
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Smith's career spans over four decades as a prominent figure in the American business world. He began working for General Motors (GM) in 1956 and rose through the ranks, becoming one of the company's most influential leaders. In 1967, he was appointed vice chairman of GM, and by 1968, he had taken on the role of president.
Notable Works or Actions
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During his tenure as General Motors' CEO (1970-1981), Smith played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a global powerhouse. He implemented significant changes to make the corporation more efficient and competitive. Some notable achievements under his leadership include:
Consolidation of GM's operations: Smith oversaw the consolidation of GM's various operations, resulting in improved efficiency and streamlined decision-making processes.
Introduction of new products: Under his guidance, General Motors introduced several innovative vehicles, including the Chevrolet Vega and the Oldsmobile Toronado.
Increased focus on safety features: Smith emphasized the importance of vehicle safety and implemented numerous initiatives to enhance safety standards in GM's products.Impact and Legacy
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Roger Smith's impact on the automotive industry is still felt today. His leadership at General Motors laid the groundwork for future innovations and advancements. While his tenure as CEO was marked by controversy and challenges, he remains a significant figure in American business history. Smith's legacy extends beyond his professional accomplishments; his philanthropic efforts have made a lasting impact on various charitable organizations.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Roger Smith is widely quoted and remembered for several reasons:
Leadership style: His leadership approach, which emphasized innovation and efficiency, has been studied by business professionals worldwide.
Philanthropic efforts: Smith's commitment to charitable causes has inspired others to follow in his footsteps.
Influence on the automotive industry: His impact on General Motors and the broader automotive sector continues to shape the industry today.
Quotes by Roger Smith
The world needs specialists and highly trained people with advanced degrees, no question about it. But the world also needs diversity and versatility. It needs people who know as much about our value system as they do about our solar system.
The passions of love ignite, the emotions of love kindle, but the actions of love set the heart ablaze.
Anything that you do to increase job security automatically does work for you. It makes your employees a closer part of the unit.
The first two goals were key. We were able to gain the momentum and take it from them.
You've got a whole cross-section of Florida maritime history out there off the beach. There's anything from colonial shipwrecks all the way to modern vessels.
California is more highly populated and so earthquakes matter more to the population, but here we get many more earthquakes.
Improved packaging adds important value for our customers. The Safe-T-Can design was driven by our customers' stated priorities. Graham Packaging helped us consider many options and then designed the one that best addressed our customers' needs.
That is one riding where the Bloc (Quebecois) feels they can knock off a senior Liberal.