CategoryAutomakers

'Big Bill' Knudsen turned Chevrolet into a powerhouse

William S. Knudsen in a 1930 Chevrolet. As head of Chevrolet he pressed dealers in a relentless pursuit of Ford.
October 31, 2011 05:00 AM

William S. Knudsen found two seemingly contradictory traits in Americans when he arrived from Denmark in 1900 at age 20. "They were very friendly, and they loved to fight with their fists," he said. "I was more or less forced to become a boxer. When I worked in the shipyards, fistfights were almost a matter of daily routine."

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