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Prominent People
Ransom Eli Olds:
Founder of Oldsmobile.
Invented assembly line 1901 enabling Olds plant to quadruple output. (many think that Henry Ford invented the assembly line, but Ford actually added the conveyor belts to Olds's idea.)
Produced low-cost automobiles at a time when most were marketing to the rich.
Responsible for the design of the Curved-Dash Oldsmobile.
Left Olds Motor Company in 1904 to establish REO Motor Car Company.
Ransom Eli Olds
1864-1950

Founder of Oldsmobile
William Crapo Durant:
Not an inventor or mechanic but more of a sales man.
Was a self made millionaire, partner in Durant-Dort Carriage Co., largest maker of horse drawn carriages in the country.
Incorporated General Motors in 1908.
GM purchased Buick, then 6 weeks later purchased Oldsmobile. In some months Durant acquired Oakland Company (later named Pontiac), Cadillac, and other parts companies. Durant almost lost control of GM in 1910, but with profits made from partner Louis Chevrolet, regained control of GM again in 1915.
William C. Durant
1861-1947

Incorporated GM in 1908
Charles F. Kettering:
Head of GM research laboratory for 31 years.
Designed high compression V-8 engine which came to be known as Olds "Rocket 88", he also perfected high octane fuel to run high compression engines.
Prominent in development of first commercially successful automatic transmission, the Olds Hydra-Matic.
Founder of Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company).
Inventor of Freon, first electrical starter for cars, and quick drying paint for cars.
Charles F. Kettering
1876-1958

Key in the design of Oldsmobile's Rocket 88 engine
Helen Jones Earley:
First worked for Oldsmobile in 1942 as a stenographer.
Retired in 1987 after 45 years service.
Was Oldsmobile's resident historian.
A founding member of the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum, member of the board of the Detroit Public National Automotive History Collection, member of the board of the Library and Research Center for the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Society of Automotive Historians.
Received the James J. Bradley Award from the Society of Automotive Historians. (award recognized the "Outstanding contributions to the preservation of historical materials related to the automobiles produced by Oldsmobile and for the spirit of helpfulness to writers, researchers, historians and restorers").
Established and ran the Oldsmobile History Center along with James Walkinshaw.
Co-authored two books, 'Setting the Pace' and 'Oldsmobile-A War Years Pictorial'.
Helen J. Earley
1917-2005

Oldsmobile's resident historian
Henry M. Leland:
After fire at Olds plant, Leland, head of Leland and Faulconer Co., built 2,000 engines for Olds. This was the first large component order by an auto maker to an outside supplier.
Improved on Olds' engine, and offered it to Olds but was turned down.
Went on with the improved engine design to build a car named after a French explorer who founded Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac.
Sold Cadillac company to General Motors and served as an executive running that division. Later left because of disagreements over just how high quality the car should be.
Started Lincoln, competitor to Cadillac, then later sold to Ford Motor Co.
Henry M. Leland
1843-1932

Built engines for Olds after fire at Olds plant
Roy D. Chapin:
Left College to become a test driver for Oldsmobile.
Drove a curved dash Oldsmobile from Detroit to New York in 1901, an amazing performance for the time.
Helped form the Lincoln Highway Association to finance a privately built interstate highway across the country. His theory was that auto companies, assisted by makers of tires, batteries and upholstery, should build smooth, surfaced roads necessary to encourage potential drivers to buy cars for long distance use.
Later went on to start Hudson Motor Car Co., and his son founded American Motors Corp. (AMC) which was purchased by Chrysler in 1987.
Roy D. Chapin
1880-1936

Early test driver for Oldsmobile
Arthur Ross:
Creative Designer at GM Styling from 1935-1958.
Assigned to Oldsmobile as Chief Designer in 1946.
Key in designs such as the 1954 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday convertible with two-tone paint, wrap around windshield, and spinner hubcaps.
His distinctive styling cues can also be found on '59, '60, and '61 Oldsmobiles.
Some sources list Arthur as the designer of the 1956 Golden Rocket.
http://www.theartofartross.com/
Arthur Ross
1913-1981

Creative Designer at GM for over 20 years
Samuel Latta Smith:
The foremost initial investor in the Olds Motor Vehicle Company. A baron of copper mining, railroads and canals in upper Michigan. In 1899, Smith advanced $200,000 toward the formation of Olds Motor Works and the construction of a new factory at Detroit.
As majority stockholder, Smith was named president and his sons, also acquired shares.
Ransom Olds clashed with Smith's son. Olds departed from his namesake company in 1904 to form Reo. The Smiths favored larger, more expensive cars. They started selling Oldsmobiles for twice the cost of the original Curved Dash. Sales dropped from above 6,000 units to around 1,000.
William C. Durant began talks with the Smiths in September 1908. A stock swap transferred control to Durant’s new General Motors Company on November 12th, and the Smiths resigned the following year.
Samuel Latta Smith
?-?

Foremost initial investor in Oldsmobile
.