It’s not like me to save any tale. Actually, I haven’t totally saved this one, it’s just that I haven’t put it in print. I’ve told it several times.
In 1979 we hired Stuart McTeer to sell advertising for our newspaper, The Clarkston News. Stu had a long history of work with Detroit newspapers. In that atmosphere he accumulated lots of press-related acquaintances.
And, they covered the range; reporters, publishers, public relations, television, press relations, etc. Among them was Frank Wylie, director of Chrysler U. S. auto sales public relations. Stu asked me one day if I’d like to be part of the press interviewing Lee Iacocca, then president of Chrysler Corporation.
Stu said he had a friend who owed him a favor, and arranged the session.
Iacocca’s office was on the fifth floor of the K.T. Keller building in Highland Park. Wylie met us on the 5th floor, went to a glass door, pushed a series of buttons, a buzzer sounded and the door opened.
The corridor was about 20-feet wide and austere; no plants, nothing but space and flush doors. Wylie took us to the vice president of public relations, Wendell Larsen, a former Clarkston and Ortonville resident.
At the appointment minute, Larsen took us into The Man’s office, a large, L-shaped room. We sat in leather sofas and a guy in a white jacket brought us coffee in china cups.
I, of course, was just an allowed tagalong. The two guys for whom the meeting was set up were from the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Herald Examiner.
This was May, 1979. On November 1, 1978 Ford fired Mr. Iacocca.
At our meeting these two reporters focused on the transition from Ford to Chrysler.
Mr. Iacocca wanted to talk about Washington’s ‘famous energy policy, whatever it is.? Their latest requirement was 27-and-a-half miles per gallon by 1985. He thought that gave a huge advantage to General Motors, in that the government set standards that only GM could meet.
Mr. Iacocca also said, ‘I’m a GM watcher, was then, am now.?
A pause let a reporter ask, ‘What’s your first six months been like, and what have you enjoyed the most??
He said it was ‘exciting, chilling and different. You’ve got to keep your eye on target all the time and concentrate more. We have no resources to gamble with, though we are a $13 billion company.?
He listed Chrysler’s three greatest strengths: ‘The 4,800 dealers have a great morale, the company had losses, but they haven’t; our parts department is great and profitable; and we’re deep in engineering.?
Last questions: ‘What kind of mileage are Americans looking for??
Last answer: ‘Infinity!?
The other two reporters had note pads. So did I, but I was also the photographer. I snapped a half-dozen pictures of the cigar smoking Mr. Iacocca, seemingly very comfortable in his atmosphere.
Back at our Oxford office my film was processed and presented to me.
One print caused a quick double-take. Mr. Iacocca had forgotten something busy minded and aging men often do.
His fly was open.
I took that negative and print and sent them to the press agent who allowed my meeting. He wrote a thank you.
But, had I kept that picture and published it, and later put it on the internet, it would have ended Mr. Iacocca’s career earlier.
Seeing that, no listener or viewer would have ever seen the man’s eyes or heard his words. Their concentration would have been elsewhere.
Career over!