Alvan Macauley

James Alvan Macauley
Time Magazine cover from July 22, 1929
Born	January 17, 1872 Wheeling, West Virginia
Died	January 16, 1952 Clearwater, Florida
Occupation(s)	attorney, president of Packard Motor Company
Spouse	Estelle Littlepage
Children	Alvan Macauley, Edward Macauley and Mary Macauley Whiting
Parent(s)	James A. Macauley and Rebecca Jane Mills

James Alvan Macauley was the president of Packard Motor Company from 1916 until 1939. Alvan, as he preferred to be called, was born in Wheeling, West Virginia to James A. Macualey and Rebecca Jane Mills. Macauley's father was a veteran of the American Civil War and was imprisoned for nine months in a Confederate war prison camp. The elder Macauley became the first secretary of state for West Virginia after the Civil War. The Macauley's moved to Washington D.C. where Alvan was educated in the public schools. Alvan attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and gained an engineering degree. He also graduated from Columbian College now known as George Washington University with a law degree. He took a job as a patent attorney with the National Cash Register Company. Macauley married Estelle Littlepage in 1895.

Alvan Macauley moved to St. Louis in 1901 to become the head of American Arithmometer Company. He revitalized the company and by 1905 sought to expand the operation. His predecessor had left the company on poor terms, but remained politically powerful in the city. He blocked an attempt by American Arithmometer to acquire an alley for a factory expansion. The city refused to allow Macauley to expand the factory. Macauley soon left St. Louis for Detroit. The entire factory was loaded onto boxcars at night and shipped north to Michigan. Macauley lead American Arithmometer, which would become Burroughs Adding Machine Company for five more years in Detroit until 1910 when he was hired as general manager of Packard by Henry Bourne Joy.

Alvan Macauley became the president of Packard in 1916. He oversaw an era at Packard when it was the leader in the luxury car market. He hired Jesse Vincent an engineer who lead the technical development at Packard. Packard's "twin-six" twelve-cylinder engine enabled Packard to step away from the competition and establish itself as an industry leader throughout the 1910s and 1920s. An eight-cylinder car that began production in 1923 became a favorite of European royalty and among the wealthiest American consumers.

Packard Twin-Six Touring, 1916

The Great Depression devastated the luxury car market. Macauley sought a foothold in the mid-priced car market. He gained it in 1935 when he hired a team of engineers from Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Chrysler Corporation. Packard produced a car that sold for $980, $65000 less than any other Packard automobile. The success of the lower priced car ended the financial crisis at Packard.

Macauley stepped down as president of Packard in 1939. He stayed on as chairman of the board until 1948. Packard continued to produce mid-priced cars in the years following World War II. Macauley resigned from Packard in 1948 after the company lost its place as the leading luxury car maker in America to Cadillac.

Alvan Macauley served as president of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce. He appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in 1929 after testifying before the Senate Finance Committee's subcommittee at the behest of Pennsylvania Senator David A. Reed. Time Magazine's biography of Macualey noted that he was an avid golfer, woodworker and an excellent marksman. Macauley had several personality quirks including a dislike of people who jingled the change in their pockets or had gold fillings in their teeth. A sign over his office door proclaimed, "Important if True." Often his truths were the only ones that counted at Packard. Macauley died on January 16, 1952 in Clearwater, Florida from an attack of uremic poisoning and pnuemonia. He was survived by his wife, three children, ten grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.