Bill was far more than a teacher to me—he was such a gentle, generous, and inspirational spirit. A life force literally spilling over with wisdom, great stories related to past designers. He taught half of the active designers in America! Finally, my favorite: his street-racing shenanigans. He always had a smile no matter how tough the critique was; we always felt his warmth, and his passion for automobile design felt as pure as ever. He was tougher than most think but never left you wondering what you had to do, to do better. He had a way of using the most clever analogies that often made us laugh as well as slap our foreheads, wondering how we had not seen what he saw sooner! Bill is a man I still refer to as we debate design over 34 years later.
About Ralph: Ralph Gilles was appointed Chief Design Officer for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Maserati, and Fiat (Latin America) brands in January 2021. He is also a member of Stellantis’ Top Executive Team. He is responsible for shaping and directing design across the brand’s portfolio as it moves toward electrification.
Gilles is extremely active inside and outside of the company. He serves as the executive sponsor of the Stellantis African Ancestry Network Diaspora and the Working Parents Network, in addition to playing a supporting role with the Stellantis Global Diversity Council. Gilles serves as a member of the board of trustees at the College for Creative Studies (CCS), his alma mater.
An avid car enthusiast who enjoys spending time at the track, go-karting and watching Formula 1 auto racing, Gilles has participated in the Targa Newfoundland Rally, the Car and Driver One Lap of America, and the SRT Viper Cup Series. In addition, he frequently serves as a judge at various Concours d’Elegance events across the country, including Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, and the Eyes On Design car show.
Gilles has earned numerous academic and industry awards, including the Michigan State University Eli Broad Graduate School of Management Young Alumni Achievement Award, Automotive Hall of Fame Young Leadership & Excellence Award, NV Magazine Innovation Award, Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award, and N’Digo Foundation N’Design Award.