Dauch Recognized for Transformational Leadership

From Volkswagen, to General Motors, to Chrysler, and, most recently, to American Axle & Manufacturing, the Tier One automotive supplier he co-founded in 1994, Richard E. Dauch has been the kind of no-nonsense transformational leader to whom SME is honored to present its 2006 Donald C. Burnham Manufacturing Management Award.

Over his four decades in automotive manufacturing, Dauch has led organizations from low productivity to world-class productivity, from being on the brink of bankruptcy to becoming highly profitable, and from operating low-tech factories to running leading-edge state-of-the-art complexes.

Dauch's career is marked by firsts, bold moves, and exceptional leadership. At GM, Dauch became the youngest plant manager in Chevrolet history, and later at Volkswagen he planned and created the manufacturing facilities for the first volume automotive transplant in the US. In 1980, he was recruited to Chrysler by Lee Iacocca and, as executive vice president of Worldwide Manufacturing, he was the driving force behind the resurrection of the company's ailing manufacturing operations.

In 1994, Dauch took on his biggest challenge yet: co-founding American Axle & Manufacturing (Detroit) by teaming with investors to purchase the GM axle, forge, and driveshaft driveline assets. Today, AAM is a Fortune 1000 company and one of the top 35 automotive suppliers in the world.

Dauch continues to contribute to the development of future talent, both through his generous training and development programs at AAM, and through his personal investments in engineering education, such as the recently opened Dauch Center for the Management of Manufacturing Enterprises at Purdue University (Lafayette, IN).