On Display from November 11, 2010–June 20, 2011 at the Studebaker National Museum.
The Studebaker National Museum is featuring an exhibit entitled Designing the New Studebaker: A Project by the League of Retired Automotive Designers. The League is a group of automotive design veterans from Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, AMC, Studebaker, and Packard who are devoted their experience and talent to design a 21st century Studebaker.

Design by Bernie Smith.

The designs and artwork were specifically created for this exhibit and have never been seen before.
There were no constraints for the designs
The designers are experienced and have had distinguished careers.
The designs were created on an individual basis and not in a studio setting.
There is no commercial intent with the exercise.
There are no sponsors.
All effort was voluntary, just for the fun of it. No rewards were expected.

Design by Rich Beck.

The Studebaker National Museum is located at 201 S. Chapin Street in downtown South Bend, Indiana. It is open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Admission is $8.00 for adults, $6.50 for seniors over 60, and $5.00 for youth ages 6-18. For more information call the museum at (574) 235-9714, toll free at 888-391-5600, or www.studebakermuseum.org. For information about the League of Retired Automotive Designers, contact Ron VanGelderen.

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Designers featured in this exhibit:

Charles M. Jordan, an accomplished designer for General Motors, Jordan tenure also included overseeing GM’s luxury brands including Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac, before being named Vice President of GM design in 1986. Jordan’s body of design work at GM includes the 1955 Cameo show truck, 1956 Buick Centurion Concept, and the XP-700 “Phantom” Corvette, and the Opel Manta Coupe. Jordan also has contributions to the Buick Reatta, Camaros, Firebirds, Aurora, the Ultralite, and the Sting Ray III.

Donald Wood. As chief designer for General Motors, Wood spent 38 years with this company. His most famous contributions are the 1968 Chevrolet Corvette, 1987 Chevy and GMC full-size Pickups, Suburban, Blazer, and Yukon.

Joan Klatil Creamer. After attending Cleveland Institute of Art, Joan Klatil Creamer became General Motors first female exterior designer. After leaving the auto industry, Creamer designed for General Electric before branching out and starting her own business of product design. Creamer’s impressive designs have varied from making crystal for Lenox to photo frames for Things Remembered.

Joseph A. Papai. A native of South Bend, Indiana, Papai received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Notre Dame. Having experience in various industrial design positions, Papai has worked for Wheel House Products, Ford Motor Company, Coachmen Industries, American Motors, Chrysler, and Daimler Chrysler. Papai taught design as a professor at both the College for Creative Studies in Detroit as well as the Cleveland Institute of Art upon his retirement.

John Houlihan. A University of Notre Dame graduate, Houlihan has a wide variety of experience as well. Houlihan has worked for General Motors, Smith Corona Marchant, General Electric, Milton Bradley, Timex, and Bulltoro Watch LLC.

Steven D. Pasteiner. Pasteiner was the Assistant Chief Designer for the Buick and Chevy 1 studios from 1966-1989. His portfolio includes the Buick Blackhawk, the Buick XP2000, the 1983 Commemorative Edition Corvettes, the ’79 Buick Riviera, and the Buick Grand National. Pasteiner also established Advanced Automobile Technologies in 1989.

Virgil M. Exner, Jr. Exner is a University of Notre Dame alumnus and a retired United States Air Force Officer. His vast professional resume includes stints at Studebaker-Packard and the Ford Motor Company. Exner made large contributions to the designs of the Studebaker Lark, Volvo P-1800 S, Fiat 2300 S, Fiat 1500 S, Karmann Ghia 1500, Ford Maverick, Pinto, Thunderbirds, Fiesta, and the Crown Victoria. In addition to contributing a design for the exhibit, Mr. Exner is also serving as the guest curator.

Bernie Smith. Bernie graduated from the Central Academy of Commercial Art, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1950. His career at General Motors spanned from 1950 until 1988. He held many positions at GM, including: Executive Designer in Chevy, Pontiac, Truck, Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac Studios; acting Director of Design, Vauxhall; Chief Designer of Advanced 2 Studio, Buick, and Preliminary Design (’65 World’s Fair vehicles). He retired from the position of executive in charge of all GM Advanced Design Studios.

Clark Lincoln.Clark is a graduate of Michigan State with a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design. At General Motors he was Assistant Chief Designer in Pontiac Exterior and involved in passenger car design for several studios. He retired as Chief Designer, GM Truck Studio.

Rich Beck. Rich received Third National Senior Award, Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild in 1964. He graduated from Art Center in 1968, and went on to Ford Motor Company, retiring as Studio Designer after 39 years.

Richard Wells. Rick is a ’73 CCS graduate. He worked for Massy Ferguson from 1975 to 1978, and then started at Ford Motor Company in 1978, retiring as a Chief Designer in 2007. He contributed to the designs of the ’85 T-Bird, ’93 Windstar, ’97 F-150, ’98 F-250 and 350, and the 2004 Fiesta.

David McIntosh. David graduated from Art Center in 1964 and began his career at General Motors Design Staff. He retired in 2003 as an Assistant Chief Designer.

Howard “Buck” Mook. Howard is a ’67 Art Center Graduate and began his career at Ford Motor Company in 1967, retiring in 1997 as a Design Executive. Buck is an avid car collector, artist, and designer. He is currently Vice President of Art & Development, Inc.

Allen Weideman. Allen received styling awards from the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild five consecutive years, and graduated from Art Center.

George Camp. George is a ’63 Art Center Graduate and began his career at General Motors Design Staff in 1963, retiring in 2001 as a Senior Creative Designer. George was a contributing designer for Buick, Cadillac, Corvette, Chevrolet and GMC Trucks, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saab, Bertone (Opel), and 15 years in Advanced Design studios.

Bill Michalak. Bill graduated from Pratt Institute in 1966, and began his career at General Motors Design Staff. He retired in 2001 as a Senior Creative Designer. Bill contributed to the design of the Olds 442, Toronado, Pontiac Grand Prix, Caprice, Monte Carlo, several Buicks, GM EV-1, Saturn, several GM show cars, the S-10 pickup, and the M-Van.

F. J. “Bud” Magaldi. Bud participated in the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild in 1965, winning a styling award. He graduated from Art Center in 1966. His career began at Ford Motor Company in 1966 and included assignments in Europe and Brazil. He contributed to the styling of the Taurus, ’83 Thunderbird, Lincoln Town Car, ’94 Mustang, and the Mustang Mach III. He retired as an Auto Design Executive in 1999.

Preston Bruning. Preston graduated from Pratt Institute in 1961. He worked at General Motors Design Staff from 1963 to 2000, and also was an Automotive Design Instructor at CCS from 1980 until 1990.

Darwin Hawthorne. Darwin won a Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild award in 1960, and graduated from Art Center in 1964. He began his career at Ford Motor Company in 1964, retiring as an Auto Design Executive in 2002.

John Perkins. John was awarded an Honorable Mention from the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild in 1955, graduated from the GM Institute in 1964. His career at General Motors Design Staff began in 1962, retiring in 1999 as a Chief Designer. He contributed to the design of the ’66 Toronado and ’67 Eldorado programs.

Robert Barnes. Bob graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1968, began working for Ford Motor Company, and retired in 2005 as a Design Manager. While at Ford, Bob was acting Chief Designer from 1990–1995 and worked on the all new heavy truck program. had design responsibilities for the 2005–2008 Taurus, Taurus X, and Mustang interiors. He contributed to architectural interiors, advanced programs, concept and production vehicles.

The League of Retired Automotive Designers is an informal group of mostly retired automobile designers whose ability has been honed by years of experience and who still have the creativity, passion, enthusiasm, energy, and ambition to design cars and trucks for the fun of it.

The League created a Vision for Future Ferraris, and displayed their work at the San Diego Automotive Museum. The artwork display coincided with a spectacular display of rare Ferraris that opened on October 11, 2008, and ran for three months.

The League is currently exhibiting at the Skillman Annex Branch of the Detroit Library:

Recapturing the Magic—Visions of the Future American Automotive Design
November 14, 2009 through April 15, 2010
Skillman Annex Branch of the Detroit Public Library, 121 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226

For more information about the League of Retired Automotive Designers, contact Ron VanGelderen.

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The League of Retired Automotive Designers came about following the 2004 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild ‘REUNION,’ for which automotive afficionado/enthusiast, Ron Van Gelderen had visited and photographed the Guild’s exhibit of Model Cars at the Eyes On Design Concours. These two events having been coincident with each other. Following this, Ron Van G. contacted Chuck Jordan and this writer, our having been the co-organizers of the FBCGuild Reunion, to inquire as to what was next after gathering all these Guildsman/Designers together after so many years of being scattered In various corners of the auto industry, some of us at GM, others at Ford, Chrysler and the other automotive companys too?

We decided to keep those of us who had become automotive designers together and we would do what we all loved, design cars, only, now that most of us were retired, we all could participate, in selected venues, together (not being competitors anymore), and do this for the fun of it. The initial League Group included Virgil Exner, Chuck Jordan, Wayne Kady, John Mellberg, Elia Russinoff and Ron VanGelderen (who was to become our Administrator). We all spread the word about the League’s informal charter, and 5+ years later, we now have approximately 60 members.

Our first show was an exhibit sponsored by the Cadillac La Salle (Owner’s) Club, called ‘Images of Cadillac in 2006, and in 2008 we participated in an exhibit at the SanDiego, CA., Automotive Museum, called Cavalino Rampante, Celebrating Italy’s Prancing Horse, sponsored by the Ferrari Club of America.

Our most recent exhibition called, Recapturing the Magic!, Visions of Future American Automotive Design, is currently displayed at The Skillman Annex of the Detroit Public Library. The exhibition is ‘free,’ and all are invited to attend during normal library hours.

Next on our plate Is an exhibition at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana, opening this November. The theme of the exhibition will be ‘Designing a new Studebaker.

Retired Automotive Designers interested in learning more about joining the League, should contact:

Ron VanGelderen, Administrator
The League of Retired Automotive Designers

Robert (Bob) Ackerman
1969-1996 Design manager, Chrysler Corporation
1960-1969 Senior Designer, GM Design
1966 Art Center Graduate
1969-1996 Design manager, Chrysler Corporation
1960-1969 Senior Designer, GM Design
1966 Art Center Graduate

Robert Barnes
1968-2005 Design Manager, Ford Motor Company
1968 Cleveland Art Institute Graduate

Richard Lee Beck
1968-2007 Designer, Ford Motor Company
1968 Art Center Graduate
1964 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 3rd, Nat’l Sr. Award

Graham Bell
1974-1998 Chief Designer, Ford Motor Company
1960-1974 Asst. Chief Designer, GM Design
1955-1960 Designer with British Airways
Wayne State University, Art Center, Harrow Art/Tech College, United Kingdom

R. Preston (Press) Bruning
1963-2000 GM Design
1980-1990 Automotive Design Instructor, CCS, Detroit
1961 Pratt Institute Graduate

George Camp
1963-2001 Senior Designer, GM Design
1963 Art Center Graduate

Joan K. Creamer
1965-1966 GM Design Staff
General Electric Corp.
Textron Staff Designer
1987 Joan Creamer Design
1966 Cleveland Institute Graduate

Paul Deesen
1954-1996 Asst. Chief Designer, GM Design
1954 Pratt Institute Graduate

Virgil M. Exner, Jr.
1967-1988 Design Executive, Ford Motor Company
1957-1967 International Design Consultant
1958-1961 U.S. Air Force Officer
1957 University of Notre Dame Graduate
1947 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 1st, Nat’l Jr. Award

Allan Flowers
1980-2006 Chief Designer, Nissan Design America
1964-1980 Assistant Chief Designer, GM Design
1964 Illinois Institute of Technology Graduate

Anthony Frassetto
1972-2002 Design Specialist, Ford Motor Company
1970 Art Center Graduate

Darwin Hawthorne
1964-2002 Auto Design Executive, Ford Motor Company
1964 Art Center Graduate
1960 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild Award

Bob Hubbach
1962-1967 GM Design
1967-2001 Design Manager, Chrysler Design Center

Roger E. Hughet
1959-2001 Asst. Chief Designer, GM Design
1959 Art Center Graduate

Ray Isip
Ford and Chrysler Designer
Pratt Institute and Art Center Graduate

Charles M. (Chuck) Jordan
1949-1992 Vice President, GM Design
1949 M.I.T. Graduate
1947 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 1st, Nat’l Sr. Award

Wayne A. Kady
1961-1999 Chief Designer, GM Design
1961 Art Center Graduate

John Mellberg
Creative Design Specialist, Thomas Bus (Daimler Trucks, N.A.)
1968-1972 GM Design
1968 Art Institute of Chicago and University of Chicago Graduate
1966  Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 2nd, Nat’l Sr. Award

David S. McIntosh
1964-2003 Asst. Chief Designer, GM Design
1964 Art Center Graduate

William (Bill) Michalak
1966-2001 Senior Designer, GM Design
1966 Pratt Institute Graduate

Howard D. (Buck) Mook
1967-1997 Design Executive, Ford Motor Company
1967 Art Center Graduate

Richard (Dick) Nesbitt
Creative Design Consultant, Author
Designer with Ford Motor Company
1970 Art Center Graduate

Steve Pasteiner
1966-1989 Asst. Chief Designer, GM Design

John Perkins
1962-1999 Chief Designer, GM Design
1964 GM Institute Graduate
1955 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild Honorable Mention

David (Dave) Royer
1965-1996 Design Manager, Ford Motor Company
1965 Carnegie Tech Graduate

Elia (Russ) Russinoff
1955-1995 Asst. Chief Designer, GM Design
1954 Pratt Institute Graduate
1949 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 1st, Nat’l Sr. Award

John Samson

Richard Wells
1978-2007 Chief Designer, Ford Motor Company
1975-1978 Sr. Designer for Massy Ferguson
1973 Center for Creative Studies Graduate

Ron Will
1981-2006 Product Planning and Design Manager. Subaru of America
1976-1981 Independent Designer; created Turbo Phantom
1966-1976 Senior Designer, GM Design
1966 Illinois Institute of Technology Graduate
1961 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 1st, Nat’l Sr. Award

Don Wood
1959-1997 Chief Designer, GM Design
1959 Art Center Graduate

Dennis Wright
1959-1996 Assistant Chief Designer, GM Design
1959 Art Center Graduate