James M. Roche served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of General Motors Corporation from November 1, 1967, to December 31, 1971. His rise from a clerical job at the Cadillac Motor Car Division to chairmanship is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished by self-education, determination, dedication and hard work.

Born in Elgin, Illinois, on December 16, 1906, Roche attended elementary school there and graduated from Elgin High School in 1923. A college education was not possible since his father had died during the 1918 flu epidemic, and it was necessary for him to go to work to help support his family.

Roche's first job was with a gas and electric utility in Aurora, Illinois. During that time he continued his education through correspondence school business and statistical courses.

In 1927, at the age of 21, Roche took a job as a statistician at the Cadillac Motor Car Division's Chicago sales and service branch, an association which some 30 years later was to see him named general manager of Cadillac and a vice president of General Motors. Within a year after joining Cadillac, he was named assistant to the Chicago branch manager and told to probe the operation with an eye to a better way of doing business.

His success in Chicago in the budding art of dealership business management prompted his transfer in 1931 to New York as assistant regional business manager. In 1933, Roche was transferred to Detroit as assistant manager of the Cadillac Business Management Department. Two years later he was appointed national business manager for Cadillac.

Then came World War II, and Cadillac converted to defense production. In 1943, Roche was appointed director of personnel for Cadillac with the assignment to coordinate all phases of the personnel activity, including labor and employee relations, employee communications, salary and wage administration, employee and management training, safety, medical and all union negotiations. In 1949 his area of responsibility was broadened to include public relations.

The following year - 1950 - Roche returned to the sales area as Cadillac general sales manager. The division's sales that year topped 100,000 units for the first time. In 1955, he led the Cadillac sales team as the division sold 143,000 units, a divisional record that stood until 1960.

Roche achieved the top rung in the Cadillac organization on January 1, 1957, being named general manager and a vice president of General Motors. Under his direction, Cadillac moved even further ahead as the leader in the fine car field. The division produced and sold over a half million vehicles in the three and one-half years he served as general manager.

His first assignment on the Corporate Staff came on June 1, 1960, as vice president in charge of the former Distribution Staff with overall responsibility for sales, marketing, merchandising and advertising, service, parts, dealer relations and the development of Corporation distribution policies. Under his direction, General Motors expanded and improved many of its dealer, marketing and distribution policies and programs.

On September 1, 1962, he was elected an executive vice president and a member of the Board of Directors with jurisdiction over the Allison Division, the Dayton Household Appliance and Engine Group and Overseas and Canadian Group. In that position, he had responsibility for nearly all GM divisional operations other than the domestic car, truck and automotive component divisions. During that period, much of the planning was done for a substantial expansion program. It was from this assignment that he was elected GM's thirteenth president, just five years after leaving his Cadillac post.

With his extensive divisional and overseas experience, Roche brought a well-rounded background to the presidency. His more than two years' service as president and chief operating officer of GM broadened this background.

Throughout his entire career with General Motors, Roche worked closely with and showed a genuine concern for the problems of the people. From his Cadillac personnel experience, he brought to the Corporation complete knowledge and understanding of matters affecting GM employees. His long association with the sales end of the automotive business gave him a keen understanding of the customer's desires and the firm belief that maximum customer satisfaction and product quality must be achieved in every phase of GM's operations.

In 1967, James Roche was elected Chairman of the Board of the General Motors Corporation. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1971. After his departure from active management, he remained an active member of the GM Board of Directors and the Finance Committee through May 1977.

James Roche died June 6, 2004 at his home in Belleair, Fla. He was 97.

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