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Joe Spielman
2010 NCH Grand Marshal
Joe will appear at the VIP Meet and Greet, he will conduct seminars and appear in the NCH parade
Joe Spielman was born in New York City and was raised in Trimont, Minnesota. He got his first ride in a Corvette at age 12 when in order to get him out of his showroom, Frank Rigenhagen of Rigenhagen Chevrolet in Trimont offered him a ride in a 1957 red Corvette Fueley if he promised to stay out of the showroom for at least a week. Joe graduated from Trimont High School in 1963 and moved to Flint, Michigan where he became a cooperative engineering student at General Motors Institute, sponsored by Fisher Body Flint Plant No. 1. He bought his first Corvette at the end of his freshman year in 1964, a used, red 1960, 270 hp, two top roadster. He graduated in 1968 with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. Over the next decade he held various assignments including superintendent of maintenance, body shop area manager, trim shop area manager, production manager and in 1980 was named plant manager of the Fisher Body Flint Plant No. 1.
In 1981, Joe was transferred to Marion, Indiana as plant manager of the Fisher Body Marion Plant. During this time span, Joe had a new Corvette almost every year as his name was the first on the list to have the opportunity to purchase one of the few Corvettes allowed for employee purchase.
In 1984, with the reorganization of the North American operations of General Motors into three new groups, CPC, BOC and Truck and Bus, Joe was promoted to General Director of Manufacturing Engineering for CPC and he moved back to Michigan. In 1988, he was named Manufacturing Manager for CPC and in that position had operating responsibility for all 14 CPC Assembly Plants, including Bowling Green. In 1991, GM sent Joe to Harvard University for their Advanced Management Program. Upon completion of the program, Joe was promoted to Vice President and General Manager of the Rear Wheel Drive Automotive Division where he was responsible for the engineering and manufacturing of all of GM North America’s cars with rear drive, including the Caprice, the Camaro and Firebird, and the Corvette. In 1992, the Rear Drive Automotive Division was combined with the Midsize Automotive Division with Joe as Vice President of the new combined group. It was in this position that Joe, in 1992, put together the small elite team that saved the Corvette from extinction, as chronicaled in Jim Schefter’s book, “All Corvettes Are Red”. Two of the people assigned by Joe to this team included Dave Hill, chief engineer, and Will Cooksey, plant manager of Bowling Green.
In 1994, Joe was made Vice President and General Manager of the GM Metal Fabricating Division with the assignment of pulling together all of GM’s North American stamping plants into one integrated division. In 1999, Joe was made Vice President and General Manager of all GM North American Assembly Operations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In 2000, Joe was inducted into the National Corvette Museum “Hall of Fame” for his work in developing the C-5 Corvette and keeping Corvette alive. In 2004, the Metal Fabricating Group was combined with the North American Assembly Group with Joe as Vice President.
In February of 2007, Joe retired with 43 years of service to General Motors Corporation. Joe splits his time between Fort Myers, Florida and Suttons Bay, Michigan. At the present time, Joe owns seven Corvettes, a 1960, which is an exact duplicate of his first Corvette, two 1967 427 roadsters, a 1978 Indy Pace Car, a 1996 Grand Sport, a 2001 roadster and a 2007 Z06. Joe is looking forward to this years Corvette Homecoming and hopes to have his eighth Corvette, a torch red 2011 Grand Sport ready to come off the line at Bowling Green a day or two ahead of Corvette Homecoming so that he can drive it in the parade. Joe looks forward to seeing many of his old friends and Corvette enthusiasts at this years Homecoming!
Dave Chrisley
Seminar Facilitator
Dave started his career with General Motors and the UAW in 1972 at the Indianapolis Metalfab Plant and transferred to Bowling Green Assembly in 1984. Dave retired from the Corvette Plant in 2008 after 36 years with General Motors. During that time Dave spent time in production working the motor line and marriage. Dave was co-chair of the Special Events Committee for several years, worked with the Special Events off and on since 1984, co-chaired the Health and Wellness Committee, and was a Safety Trainer for the last 15 years of employment. In 2007, Dave co-founded the Bowling Green Assembly Corvette Club and serves as President of the club. Dave was born on June 28th, 1953, two days before the first Corvette.
 Noland Adams is one of the country's foremost Corvette authorities, and has 40+ years of experience as an owner, restorer, and historian of the Corvette. His first two books, Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide, Volume I, 1953-62, and Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide, Volume II, 1963-67, are the "bibles" of Corvette restoration. Noland holds membership number one in the Solid Axle Corvette Club.
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 Gordon Killebrew was the first UAW hourly employee to ever work in an engineering salary position in the Corvette plant's Action Center, which was started by Chief Engineer, Dave McLellan. The Action Center received calls from GM's Tech Center, Chevrolet Dealers, and Corvette Owners regarding problems with the Corvettes that they couldn't fix. Not only were they told by Gordon how to fix the problem, but the feedback from them helped to correct a lot of problems before the next Corvette left the plant. Gordon answered calls from all over the world!
In 1990, Gordon designed and wrote the program, Corvette Specialist Seminar, he used in Phoenix, AZ for nine weeks teaching two classes a week for a total of over 400 dealer technicians. Gordon also became a proof editor of the Service Manuals before the final print was sent to the dealers. He did the same with the Owner's Manual, also helping with the photos and instructions. The GM Tech Center sent all Bulletins and Campaigns (recalls) to Gordon to edit before they were sent out to the Chevrolet dealers. Prior to doing all of the above while working in the Action Center of the Corvette Plant, Gordon was a mechanic at the end of the assembly line doing all electrical and air condition repairs on the new Corvettes as they came off the line.
Gordon not only knows how to work on the C4 1984-96 Corvettes, but he can tell you the part numbers used for the different years. He knows the harness wires by color, and breakout points and pin cavities. He has been referred to as the "Guru of the C4 1984-96 Corvettes" because he can tell you all about them from memory. That's right, he doesn't need to look up the answer in the service manual, he wrote it!!! Gordon is an honorary member of many Corvette clubs. He has been a Certification Judge at the Bloomington Gold Show for many years, and he is also a Senior Instructor at the Bloomington Gold Restoration Workshops for the C4 Corvettes. Gordon gives seminars at most of the major Corvette shows that he attends. Gordon is Founding Member #0920 and #15 Lifetime Member of the National Corvette Museum. Look for his brick, "Killebrew's For Your Car" in the area in front of the entrance doors.
If you would like to become a member of the NCM click on this link NCM Membership and tell them Gordon Killebrew sent you! Gordon lives in Cross Plains, Tennessee, forty-six miles from the Bowling Green Corvette Plant, with his wife, Chris. See the latest technical articles from Gordon & Chris by clicking below:
FOR YOUR CAR, INC.
"LATE MODEL CORVETTE SOLUTIONS"
Gordon Killebrew was inducted into the Corvette Hall Of Fame in 2007
Visit Gordon’s site here
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Larry Richter’s involvement with Corvettes dates back to 1962. In the last 47 years Larry has owned, restored, shown and enjoyed America’s sports car. He is a long time member of the National Corvette Restorers Society, having obtained master judge status. He has received several national awards from NCRS including the Duntov Mark of Excellence Award and the McLellan Mark of Excellence Award. He is one of four founding members of the Solid Axle Corvette Club and served as its National Treasurer for thirteen years. Larry has taught various classes and authored many articles relating to Corvettes restoration and repair on a national level.
John Ballard is a research chemist in paint formulation, application, and troubleshooting for 44 years, he is a NCRS Master Judge 400 Level and Bloomington Gold Judge. His Corvette collection contains low mile original cars with several achieving NCRS Bowtie and Bloomington Benchmark status. He speaks at assorted seminars on car show judging, preparation and restoration.
