Roy D. Chapin
#277,019 Most Popular
About
President of the American Motors Corporation from 1967 to 1977. He introduced to American car buyers the Jeep.
Before Fame
He was part of the business consortium that formed the Hudson Motor Company and helped the formation of its subsidiary the Essex car company.
Trivia
He was criticized for introducing a new line of cars at a time when their legacy models were struggling for relevance. However, the Jeep proved to be an instant success.
Family Life
His son Roy D. Chapin Jr. followed in his footsteps in leading the American Motors Corporation.
Associated With
He bought the struggling Jeep brand from the industrialist Henry J. Kaiser with the two forming the initial agreement over lunch.