ED COLE'S CAREER
• 1952: Became Chevrolet's chief engineer
• 1955: Chevy introduced his small-block V-8
• 1956: Became Chevrolet general manager
• 1961: Promoted to group vice president, overseeing GM's automotive divisions
• 1965: Named executive vice president
• 1967: Became GM president
• 1974: Retired from GM
• 1977: Became chairman of Checker Motors; died in plane crash at age 67
As the rare high-profile executive at General Motors, nationally famous after his face appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1959, Ed Cole showed unsurpassed flair.
