Mr. Donald L. Runkle
Donald L. Runkle is a vice chairman and chief technical officer of Delphi Corporation with responsibility for enterprise technologies. He serves on the company’s Board of Directors and is also a member of the Delphi Strategy Board, the company’s top policy-making group.
Runkle began his automotive career at General Motors (GM), where he held a wide range of assignments, including chief engineer at Chevrolet, chief engineer of powertrain and racing at the Buick Motor Division, director of Advanced Vehicle Engineering for the Chevrolet-Pontiac-GM of Canada Group, vice president of GM’s Ad-vanced Engineering Staff and vice president of GM’s North American Engineering Center.
He was named vice president and general manager of Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems in 1993, and subsequently in 1996, as general manager of Delphi Energy & Engine Management Systems. In 1999, he assumed additional responsibility for the oversight of Delphi Chassis Systems and the integration of the two divisions. In 2000, Runkle was named executive vice president of Delphi Corporation and president of the former Dynamics & Propulsion sector. His responsibilities also included oversight for Delphi’s Product & Service Solutions activities.
Runkle earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan in mechanical engineering. He was also a Sloan Fellow, receiving his master’s degree in management science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Runkle is active in the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary Society and the Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honorary Society. In April 2002, Runkle was inducted into the Shingo Prize Academy, which recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the area of manufacturing excellence.