F. James McDonald

Francis James McDonald (August 3, 1922 – June 13, 2010) was an American engineer and business executive who worked his way up through the ranks at General Motors, ultimately serving as its president and chief operating officer from 1981 to 1987 during the tenure of chairman and chief executive Roger Smith.

Biography McDonald was born in Saginaw, Michigan on August 3, 1922. He was sponsored by the Saginaw Malleable Iron Division to attend the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan, later known as Kettering University, where he combined engineering courses with time spent in the company's foundries. He served in the United States Navy as a submarine engineer during World War II.

After completing his military service, McDonald went back to General Motors in 1946, at the company's Saginaw Malleable Iron plant.

During his tenure, McDonald often disagreed on policy issues with chairman and chief executive Roger Smith, with McDonald focusing on running the business and staying out of the public eye. He stepped down from his post in 1987, having reached GM's mandatory retirement age of 65. He died of cancer at age 87 on May 13, 2010, at a hospice in Vero Beach. He was survived by his wife, the former Betty Dettenthaler, as well as by three children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.