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Richard E. "Dick" Dauch is an American businessman and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Axle and Manufacturing.

Family and education
Richard E. Dauch was born in Norwalk, Ohio. He is the son of farmers, W.G. Albert and Helen Dauch, and the youngest of their seven children. After high school he attended Purdue University, were he played linebacker and fullback on the football team before graduating in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management and Science. He married his wife Sandy in 1960, and they have four children, (Richard F Dauch, David Dauch, Teri Gigot and Jane Harvey).

General Motors, Volkswagen and Chrysler
After Purdue, he joined General Motors as a college graduate-in-training assigned to the Chevrolet Motor Division's Flint, Michigan car and truck assembly plant. By 1973, at the age of 30, he was named the youngest plant manager in the history of the Chevrolet Motor Division. After a stint as Assistant Sales Manager in the Chevrolet Detroit Zone, he was appointed Plant Manager of the biggest GM plant in North America, Chevrolet Gear and Axle (one of the five plants he later acquired to co-found American Axle and Manufacturing). In 1976, Mr. Dauch accepted the position of Vice President of Manufacturing for Volkswagen Manufacturing of America, where he planned the manufacturing facilities for the first volume automotive transplant in the United States. After being recruited personally by Lee Iacocca, he joined Chrysler in Aril of 1980, as Vice President of Diversified operations. During his 12 years spent at Chrysler, he is credited with being the driving force behind the reengineering of their manufacturing systems, establishing just in time material management systems and the three shift manufacturing vehicle assembly process. Mr. Dauch retired from Chrysler in 1991, as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Manufacturing.

American Axle and Manufacturing
In 1993, Dauch headed an investment group that acquired five General Motors parts plants in Michigan and New York to form American Axle and Manufacturing. It became a stand alone tier one automotive supplier on March 1, 1994. Under the leadership of Dauch, American Axle has become a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, and has grown from its original five plants to 32 locations around the globe.

Philanthropic
In addition to his business accomplishments, Mr. Dauch has been a consistent philanthropic contributor to worthy organizations within his community and beyond. A $3 million contribution from Dauch and wife Sandy was the cornerstone for a 67,000 square foot alumni center (Dick and Sandy Dauch alumni center) located on the campus of Purdue University. In 2006, Dauch and his wife were recognized as the largest individual contributors to the United Way's women's initiative. Dauch also served as chair for the 2006 United Way torch drive. His contributions were instrumental in the construction of the NFL/YET Dick and Sandy Dauch Campus Boys and Girls Club in Detroit.

Awards
2006 Shien-Ming Wu Foundation Manufacturing Leadership Award 2005 CEO Legend Award from Automation Alley 2002 Wayne State University, College of Business Administration's Michigan Executive of the Year 2002 Detroit Regional Chamber's World Trader of the Year 1999 Detroit News Michiganian of the Year 1997 Crain's Detroit Business Newsmaker of the Year 1997 Michigan Manufacturers Association Manufacturer of the Year 1996 Automotive Hall of Fame's Industry Leader of the Year