F. James McDonald, Retired GM President, Dies At 87

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F. James (Jim) McDonald, who served as President and Chief Operating officer of General Motors Corporation throughout much of the 1980s, died Sunday, June 13, 2010.

McDonald's career spanned the post World War II auto boom, when GM grew to dominate the U.S. car market. Among his many GM assignments, he served as General Manager at both Pontiac and Chevrolet.

McDonald was named President and Chief Operating Officer of GM on February 1, 1981, and served in those positions until his retirement on August 31, 1987. During that period, he also served as Chairman of the Executive and Administrative Committees for the GM Board of Directors, and as a member of the Finance Committee.

Prior to being named President and Chief Operating Officer, McDonald had been an Executive Vice President and member of the GM board with responsibility for car and truck, body and assembly, electrical components, mechanical components, power products, and overseas operations. He served as General Manager for the Pontiac Motor Division from February 1969 through October 1972, when he became General Manager of Chevrolet Motor Division, a position he held until he was named Executive Vice President and a member of the Board in December 1974.