A schism later developed between Oakland University and the traditional organizers of the Meadow Brook Concours, and the school took over the event for two years. This year, OU's Board of Trustees approved an operating agreement to allow a private, nonprofit organization to run the annual event.
 |
| Richard Kughn, who made his wealth working at Taubman Enterprises, the American shopping mall developer, and later went on to be chairman of the Lionel toy train company, talks about the schedule of events for the 2003 Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. (Photo: Joe Cabadas, Canadian Auto Press) |
The board members of this new nonprofit are: Richard Kughn, chairman and president of Kughn Enterprises and chairman emeritus of toy train-maker Lionel L.C.C.; William Parfet, chairman and CEO of MPI Research; Terence Adderley, chairman and CEO, Kelly Services, which sponsored the special Duesenberg Cup award; Keith Crain, chairman, Crain Communications and publisher of Automotive News; Sommer; and David Fischer, a metro Detroit car dealer.
 |
| Recalling the opulence of an automotive era gone by, this 1932 Pierce-Arrow Model 54 Club Brougham owned by James F. Cleaver of Saint Clair, Mich., was made during the during the depths of the Great Depression. (Photo: Joe Cabadas, Canadian Auto Press) |
Chapin was recently chosen as the president of the nonprofit organization to help develop a five-year business plan. He is the grandson of Roy D. Chapin Sr., the founder of the Hudson Motor Car Co., which became the foundation for the American Motors Corp. And, his father, the late Roy D. Chapin Jr., was the former chairman and CEO of AMC. Bill Chapin had spent 14 years at AMC in various sales, marketing and product planning positions. He was AMC's director of international marketing until he left the automaker in 1985 and established his own marketing company, now known as Chapin & Co.
Since 1999, Chapin has been involved in the effort to promote the Detroit area's automotive heritage to tourists and visitors, and helped with the launch of the Motorcities-Automobile National Heritage Area, serving as the organization's interim president.