Automatic Shift

At 80, tall, austere Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr. was long since Mr. General Motors. President from 1923 to 1937, chief executive officer from 1923 to 1946, board chairman since 1937, he was the major factor in making G.M. the world's greatest industrial corporation, increased its share of U.S. automotive output from 12% when he took over to 50% today. Last week Alfred Sloan, management genius, stepped out as chairman of the board of General Motors.

Into his place, in as automatic a move as a G.M. gearshift, stepped Albert Bradley, a man little known but easy to know. Bright, twinkling-eyed Al Bradley is a contrast to his great predecessor and good friend. Sloan, a graven-faced Connecticut Yankee, practiced prohibition for years, wears a stickpin, dresses with a flourish, disdains tobacco and sniffs at sports. Bradley is a roly-poly (5 ft. 6 in., 160 Ibs.) Briton who arrived in the U.S. at the age of seven, a casual dresser who often appears in mismatched pants and coat, a keen southpaw golfer and a Scotch drinker.

A Ph.D. in economics (Michigan, '17), Bradley joined G.M. in 1919, was operations chief during World War II, became chairman of the finance policy committee in 1946. By 1954 he was earning $611,500 in salary and bonuses, making him second in G.M. (and in all U.S. industry) only to President Harlow H. Curtice, who netted $686,100. Bradley moves up to board chairman as he reaches 65 (May 29), normal retirement age for G.M. operating officials.

Into Bradley's former post as executive vice president and finance chairman goes Frederic G. Donner, 54, a G.M. financial specialist since 1926. Michigander Donner (Michigan, '23) is a trim, conservative man with a passion for figures and a reputation for precision. Staff members call him an "animated slide rule," set their watches by his arrival at work (8:34 a.m.), respect his ability to shuffle three sets of figures at once without losing track. After all the changes, the top operating spot at G.M. was still firmly held by the same man: President Harlow H. Curtice.

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