Archie R. McCardell

Casper Star Tribune
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 7:31 AM MDT

CASPER -- A private family service for Archie R. McCardell, 81, will be held at Alcova.

He died on July 11, 2008, at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper surrounded by family.

He was born on August 29, 1926, in Hazel Park, Mich.He entered the U.S. Army Air Corps at age 18.

Upon his discharge, he enrolled at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration in 1948 and 1949, respectively.

He met Margaret Edith Martin at the University of Michigan in 1949. They were married in 1950.She was an indispensable part of his long and successful career.

He then joined the Ford Motor Company as a financial analyst.

After leaving his post as Director of Finance for Ford Germany in 1966, he returned to the U.S. and worked for Xerox Corporation, where he was appointed president and chief operating officer in 1971.

At Xerox, he pioneered the company's innovative Social Service Leave Program, which for the first time granted paid leave to employees wishing to volunteer in their communities.

In 1977, he moved to Chicago and worked at International Harvester, where he became chief executive officer in 1978, and chairman in 1979.

He served on the board of directors of the American Express Company, Honeywell Inc., and the General Foods Corporation, and as a trustee of the University of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Orchestral Association of Chicago, the Business Council, the Conference Board, and the Business Roundtable.

He was a member of the Advisory Council of the Stanford University School of Business.

He retired in 1984.

He went into business with his wife and children and divided his time between Fairfield, Conn., and Savannah, Ga., before moving to Casper in 1998.

He was respected and admired by all who knew him. His commanding presence, as well as his intelligence and wisdom and unfailing kindness, honesty, grace and humor were always an example to everyone who was privileged to have spent time with him. Despite his long and successful career, he never lost touch with his roots and found the most pleasure in the simple things in life, and in spending time with his family.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Margaret, and children Sandy and Clay McCardell and Laurie McCardell-Patton.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be sent to the Steven M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, 7001 Tappan Street, Rm. 3700, Wyly Hall, Ann Arbor MI 48109-1234.