Dan C. Knott was appointed Senior Vice President of Purchasing and Supplier Quality, Chrysler Group LLC, in December 2009. In this position, he is responsible for all worldwide purchasing and supplier quality activities, including both product-related components and indirect suppliers and services. He reports directly to Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne.
Previously, Knott served as Head of Vehicle Engineering and Vehicle Line Executive – A/B Segment since June 2009. In that role, he had full responsibility for all current vehicles and execution of future car, minivan, Jeep®, truck and SRT vehicle programs, along with vehicle development analysis and validation.
Prior to that position, Knott held the positions of Vice President – Car/Minivan/SRT Product Team and Vice President – Jeep Product Team for Chrysler LLC. In these positions, Knott oversaw all planning, engineering, development and launch management activities.
Knott joined the former Chrysler Corporation in 1988 as Senior Engineer – Air/Fuel Emission Systems. His professional and academic background also includes:
• 2009, Senior Vice President – Purchasing and Supplier Quality, Chrysler Group LLC
• 2009, Head of Purchasing ad interim
• 2009, Head of Vehicle Engineering and Vehicle Line Executive – A/B Segment
• 2008, Vice President – Car/Minivan/SRT Product Team, Chrysler LLC
• 2008, Vice President – Jeep Product Team
• 2007, Vice President – Product Development Core Components Process, Chrysler Group, DaimlerChrysler
• 2006, Vice President – Global Service, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge Brands
• 2002, Director – Street and Racing Technology (SRT)
• 2002, Director – Material Cost Management
• 2000, Director – Chassis Systems, Small Vehicle Product Team
• 1999, Director – Vehicle Development/Quality/Safety, Small Vehicle Product Team
• 1996, Senior Manager – Jeep Vehicle Development, Chrysler Corporation
• 1993, Manager – Powertrain Product Team Program Management
• 1988, Senior Engineer – Air/Fuel Emission Systems
• 1986, Sales Engineer – Bendix Electronics
• 1983, Engineer – Fuel Systems, American Motors Corporation
In 2010, Knott was inducted into the Viper Club of America Hall of Fame for the work he did on the Viper program. He was named No. 23 on Motor Trend’s 2006 Power List, which recognized the 50 most influential men and women in the automotive industry.
Knott finished fourth-in-class at the 2005 Targa Newfoundland Tarmac Rally. In addition to racing, he enjoys riding his motorcycle and perfecting wood-working projects. Knott stays active by running, fishing and playing golf often. Knott is extremely active inside and outside the company. He is currently serving a two-year term as Chair of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council. In addition, he serves as the executive sponsor of the Chrysler Native American Employee Resource Group and co-chair of the Chrysler Diversity
Council. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Focus: HOPE, an organization dedicated to intelligent and practical solutions to the problems of hunger, economic disparity, inadequate education, and racial divisiveness. He is also a member of the board of trustees of New Horizons Rehabilitation Services, Inc., a notfor-profit rehabilitation agency providing quality vocational training and job placement services for people with disabilities.
He holds a Master of Business Administration (2002) and a Bachelor of Science in engineering (1983), both from Michigan State University.
Knott was born in Detroit.
Scott Kunselman began his career as a Chrysler Institute of Engineering Leadership Trainee after graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Early in his career, he earned a MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan while he continued to take on the challenge of new roles.
Mr. Kunselman’s automotive career lead him through increasingly responsible positions in Powertrain, Chassis, Interior, and Vehicle Development leading to one of his most satisfying roles as the Chief Engineer of Ram trucks in 2004 where he started the design process of the award winning new Ram, which he launched in 2008 as the Vice President – Jeep And Truck Product Team.
By 2009, Mr. Kunselman was the Senior Vice-President – Engineering / Product Development and in 2012, he was named the Senior Vice President – Purchasing and Supplier Quality. Mr. Kunselman than took on the role of Senior Vice President – Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance for FCA US LLC (“Chrysler”). In 2015, Mr. Kunselman retired after 31 years with FCA and joined Oakland University as its Chief Operating Officer.
In addition to his primary career, Mr. Kunselman has been active in the community and has served on a variety of boards. Mr. Kunselman served on the board of the Michigan Science Center (former Detroit Science Center) from 2008 to December 2015 and on the board of the FCA Foundation (former Chrysler Foundation) from 2009 to December 2015. He served as the chair of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council from April 2012 to February 2014 and on the Oakland University Board of Trustees from August 2012 to November 2015. Mr. Kunselman served on the Horizon Global Board of Directors from March 2016 to March 2019. Most recently, Mr. Kunselman joined Promethient’s Board of Directors in December 2017 and Caresoft Global Inc as an Executive Board Advisor in August 2019.
Mr. Kunselman is married to Denise Kunselman, his wife of 30 years. They have four children who all love the outdoors. The family spends vacations hiking, backpacking and skiing. Mr. Kunselman’s hobbies include running, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, splitting fire wood and enjoying old trucks and Jeeps to name a few.
Burt Jordan is Ford’s Vice President, Global Vehicle & Indirect Purchasing and Supply Chain Sustainability, effective October 1, 2017. He is responsible for global body exterior, body interior, chassis and electrical systems procurement, along with all global indirect purchasing and supplier diversity development. In this role he is responsible for approximately $90 Billion. Jordan reports to Hau Thai-Tang, Ford Executive Vice President, Product Development and Purchasing.
Prior to this role, Jordan was elected a corporate officer and named vice president, Global Vehicle and Powertrain Purchasing and Supplier Diversity, effective August. 1, 2013. Jordan was responsible for all commodity-related purchasing and supplier sourcing around the world.
Early on, Jordan served as Executive Director, Global Vehicle and Powertrain Purchasing, a position he held from July 1, 2010. His group was responsible for procurement of production and powertrain parts and commodities for Ford Motor Company operations worldwide. Jordan also oversaw Supplier Diversity Development and Global Supply Risk Management.
On April 1, 2008, Jordan was promoted to Executive Director, Global Powertrain Purchasing, after serving as Director of Powertrain and Driveline Purchasing for the Americas beginning in January 2006.
Jordan spent approximately six years working with Ford and Mazda Purchasing organizations in Asia. On October 1, 2004, he was named Director, Purchasing, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, where he managed overall purchasing activities for operations in Australia, India, South Africa, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and
Vietnam. Prior to that he was the Deputy General Manager of the Purchasing Division for Mazda in April 2002. He served as the Assistant General Manager from September 1, 2001. He joined Ford in 1999.
Prior to joining Ford in 1999, he spent 10 years working in the Automotive Industry with stints at General Motors, Toyota and United Technologies serving in various positions. Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alma College in Alma, Michigan. He was also appointed to the United States Air Force Academy in 1985 by the Honorable Robert Carr of the 8th District of Michigan.
African Americans On Wheels Magazine recognized Jordan as one of the “70 Most Influential African American Men in the Automotive Industry.” In 2011, Jordan was recognized in the book, “Driven. A Tribute to AfricanAmerican Achievement in the Automotive Industry.” In 2010 and 2011, Jordan’s outstanding commitment to
diversity was recognized by Automotive News, which named him an “All-Star for Minority Business.” He was also recognized by rainbow Push as an “Emerging Leader” that same year. The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, awarded Jordan the “President’s Award” in 2011 and in 2018. He was also named
“Executive of the Year” by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council in 2018.
Jordan, born in March 1967, is on the board of directors for Focus Hope, The Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan and the Michigan-National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He also serves as a trustee for Alma College.
In August 2013, Tony retired as group vice president of purchasing at Ford Motor Co., where he was instrumental in the company’s turnaround on the brink of bankruptcy. In this position,Tony managed approximately $90 billion of production and non-production goods and services for operations worldwide. Tony is best known for his work during the auto crisis, when Ford mortgaged nearly everything, including the Blue Oval, to avoid bankruptcy. He launched a secret initiative called Project Quark, through which Ford worked with Toyota Motor Corp. to prop up the struggling supply base.
Tony also reorganized Ford’s supplier structure, consolidating the supply base into about a third the size from when he inherited it. He put a strong emphasis on positive supplier relations, which had often been adversarial. At the time of his retirement, Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally said, “Tony Brown is a world-class business leader who has helped to transform Ford’s relationships with our global supplier partners,” and, “Tony’s leadership and dedication to working together have helped Ford and our supplier partners emerge from the recent global transformation of the auto industry well-positioned for future growth.”
Prior to joining Ford in 1999, Tony held a variety of senior supply chain and purchasing leadership positions, including vice president of supply chain management for United Technologies Corp. and executive director of purchasing and transportation for QMS, Inc., a makerand provider of networked enterprise printing solutions.
Tony serves on the boards of 3M, ConAgra Foods and Tower International.
He has been honored by Rainbow/PUSH with the “Keep Hope Alive” award, and by the National Action Network as a recipient of the “Keeper of the Dream” award.
Scott Kunselman began his career as a Chrysler Institute of Engineering Leadership Trainee after graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Early in his career, he earned a MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan while he continued to take on the challenge of new roles.
Mr. Kunselman’s automotive career lead him through increasingly responsible positions in Powertrain, Chassis, Interior, and Vehicle Development leading to one of his most satisfying roles as the Chief Engineer of Ram trucks in 2004 where he started the design process of the award winning new Ram, which he launched in 2008 as the Vice President – Jeep And Truck Product Team.
By 2009, Mr. Kunselman was the Senior Vice-President – Engineering / Product Development and in 2012, he was named the Senior Vice President – Purchasing and Supplier Quality. Mr. Kunselman than took on the role of Senior Vice President – Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance for FCA US LLC (“Chrysler”). In 2015, Mr. Kunselman retired after 31 years with FCA and joined Oakland University as its Chief Operating Officer.
In addition to his primary career, Mr. Kunselman has been active in the community and has served on a variety of boards. Mr. Kunselman served on the board of the Michigan Science Center (former Detroit Science Center)
from 2008 to December 2015 and on the board of the FCA Foundation (former Chrysler Foundation) from 2009 to December 2015. He served as the chair of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council from April 2012 to February 2014 and on the Oakland University Board of Trustees from August 2012 to November 2015. Mr. Kunselman served on the Horizon Global Board of Directors from March 2016 to March 2019. Most recently, Mr. Kunselman joined Promethient’s Board of Directors in December 2017 and Caresoft Global Inc as
an Executive Board Advisor in August 2019.
Mr. Kunselman is married to Denise Kunselman, his wife of 30 years. They have four children who all love the outdoors. The family spends vacations hiking, backpacking and skiing. Mr. Kunselman’s hobbies include running, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, splitting fire wood and enjoying old trucks and Jeeps to name a few.
Detroit, MI native Robert E. Rossiter served Lear Corporation forfour decades and was an exceptional leader and a driving force in building Lear Corporation into a world-class global company. Bob held positions of increasing responsibility until
he was ultimately promoted to Chief Executive Officer, a position he held for the last 11 years of his career at Lear.
Bob fostered a culture of industry leading customer service, continuous improvement, the highest level of integrity and support of the communities where Lear does business. These core values are the foundation of Lear’s rich culture that
continue to guide Lear today.
Under his leadership, Lear grew from a small U.S. based supplier to a multibillion dollar leading global supplier of automotive seating and electrical distribution systems. In addition to his many career accomplishments, Bob’s contributions to the community included serving on numerous charitable boards, support of hundreds of charitable causes and pledges of millions in financial support to worthy causesworldwide.