William Happel

Bill Happel is a retired Vice President of the General Motors Corporation. He worked in leadership assignments in various disciplines including manufacturing, engineering, information technology, sales and marketing, college relations and general management. Bill worked in several divisions of GM including automotive components, power train, sheet metal fabrication, railroad locomotives and defense products. Several assignments involved leading mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Many assignments involved extensive travel to Europe, Japan and Mexico. In 1986 Bill was selected by Penn State College of Engineering as an Outstanding Engineering Alumnus and in 2004 selected by Penn State University as an Alumni Fellow.

Mr. Happel is a 1969 graduate of Penn State University earning a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. While working, he earned a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan and in 1987 completed the program for Senior Executives at the Sloan Business School of MIT.