Grateful city shares condolences following death of former FCA CEO
Marchionne remembered as a business leader who cared about Windsor families
SARAH SACHELI AND TREVOR WILHELM
In the lobby of Windsor’s new municipal headquarters Wednesday stood a memorial from a grateful city.
On a small table next to the council chambers sat a book of condolences flanked by a portrait of former Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and a dedication written by city staff. Marchionne “left an indelible mark on the city of Windsor and the families who live here through his efforts to pilot Chrysler out of rough waters, back to profitability and eventually into local expansion. As a University of Windsor graduate and supporter, Mr. Marchionne was an inspiration to generations of students and leaves a legacy Windsorites can be proud of.”
Marchionne died Tuesday in Switzerland from complications after shoulder surgery. He is credited with turning around both Fiat and Chrysler, saving Windsor’s local economy in the process. Bill Pignanelli, a realtor who accompanied a friend to city hall Wednesday, stopped to write his condolences.
Pignanelli said he has always had an affinity for Marchionne. Both men immigrated to Canada from Italy as young teens in the 1960s. “He came at the same time I did,” Pignanelli said. “He was a great leader. He made a lot of Italian people proud.” Pignanelli said he never met Marchionne, but followed him in the media.
“I know he loved the Windsor area … Windsor should be proud of him.”
Yvette Fader said Windsor owes Marchionne a debt of gratitude. A court administrator taking a training course at city hall Wednesday, Fader signed the book of condolences during a break.
“I think it’s phenomenal that we had someone of that calibre from our city,” she said. “I’m sad. I wish he would have been able to retire and enjoy life.” Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens wrote the first message in the book. “A sincere appreciation from a grateful city. Our deepest condolences.”
Beyond the walls of city hall Wednesday, Windsorites who feel they owe their livelihoods to the colourful former CEO were also showing their gratitude. “From my perspective, he kept us working,” said Windsor Assembly Plant worker Ken Harris, 43. “Somebody that’s tough to bargain with. But there were very few people, I think he was the only one, who stepped in to try to keep the company going. And if I don’t have a job to go to, I don’t have food on the table every day.” Marchionne didn’t just keep Chrysler and the minivan plant going, said Harris, he brought new investment and prosperity to Windsor.
“He put a lot of money into the plant to get the new Pacifica vehicle going,” said Harris, a 22-year employee. “Because of that, we hired a lot of people. To this day, it still shocks me the amount of people who have come into our plant. I never saw that happening.” “I still remember the original announcement of Chrysler Windsor to hire 600 workers. None of us on the line believed it. It caught us off guard, because for years and years there was always talk about us losing the third shift.”
Mike Zinyk, another local Chrysler employee, met Marchionne a few years ago when the CEO visited Windsor Assembly Plant. Zinyk said he didn’t see any sign of the powerful global executive known for his bluntness and eccentricities.
“He was down to earth,” said Zinyk, 53, who has worked at the Windsor plant for 34 years. “He seemed very genuine. He reminisced a little about his times in Windsor.”
Zinyk said Marchionne talked about his time as a University of Windsor student, when he’d hang out at Rock Bottom bar and toss peanut shells on the floor. “Small talk,” said Zinyk. “But when he did talk, he definitely did not seem like a phoney individual. He was a fella who was personally interested with who he was talking to.”
It left a lasting impression on the Windsor workers, said Zinyk. “We’re at Windsor Assembly,” he said. “We’re just little people in the sand to him. That’s what we figured. But he definitely made you feel like an important part of the company. He had those ties and feelings for the Windsor workers, and I think the Windsor workers knew that as well. So it made a nice connection.”