Compass Acquisitions


	From left to right - Gurminder Bedi, Mike Herd, Tom Winters, Jeff Van Dorn, Roger Van Kamp, Erich Mau, David Fisher, Ken Kareta, Max Kapadia, and Darrel Reece. Not Shown - John Carnago, Peter Karmanos Jr., Larry Lawson, Steve Scharf, and Michael Tracy.

Management Team

Compass is represented by prominent leaders from both OEM and supplier backgrounds who have distinguished themselves within the automotive industry. These individuals combine to represent over 400 years of experience in multiple disciplines including manufacturing, quality, engineering, customer service, information technology, finance, and marketing.

Compass continues to grow its membership by attracting individuals with both a passion and the proven competency to drive successful change within the automotive landscape. Our philosophy is to work with automotive, government, and academic leaders to examine existing and emerging industry trends. We seek to exploit the financial potential of these trends through strategic deployment of tactical portfolio investments.

Compass membership is by invitation only.

Compass Officers

Gurminder Bedi, President - Retired Vice President of Ford Motor Company with over 30 years of automotive experience including P&L responsibility for Ford Truck, a $60 billion worldwide enterprise that included in North America F Series, Econoline, Explorer, Expedition, Escape, and Ranger, and in Europe Transit. Had P&L responsability for Ford operations in South America and other extensive international experiences. Extensive background in business strategy, product development, manufacturing, and quality.

Jeff Van Dorn, Vice President - Retired senior engineering executive at Ford Motor Company with expertise in vehicle electronics, suspension systems, and drive lines. Worked at Ford for 27 years and then for 5 years as as executive vice president of a mid-sized electrical component supplier. Since 2000 he has managed a 500 employee engineering services firm as part of a major I.T. supplier. Jeff has experience in acquisition and sale of three mid-sized automotive supplier companies.

Prominent Members

Peter Karmanos Jr. - Peter Karmanos Jr. is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Compuware Corporation in Detroit Michigan. Compuware is a global leader in providing software and I.T. Professional Services to industry with sales in excess of $1 billion/ year. Peter is a co-founder of Compuware and he has 30 years experience as the C.E.O. of the company.

Peter has grown together with the Software industry to become a respected worldwide expert and leader in the Information Technology field. Much of the success of Compuware and it’s large growth over the years-in the face of so many I.T. companies leaving the market place-has been due to Peter’s insight and awareness of I.T. industry trends and future market direction in advance of his competitors.

Peter has studied at Wayne State University in Detroit and he is a member of Mensa, an International Organization devoted to the pursuit of intellectual excellence and leadership. Compass is fortunate to have this distinguished industry leader among it’s members.

Darrel Reece - Co-founder and CEO of Android Industries, a rapidly growing automotive assembler. Business & Finance degree from Michigan State University. A recognised industry expert with thirty years experiance in logistics, material handeling, just in time manufacturing. Co-founded Android Industries in 1976 as a manufacturer of assembly lines and equipment.

Steve Scharf - Retired Chrysler Executive Vice President of World Wide Manufacturing and a former member of the Chrysler Corporation Board of Directors. Stephan is a mechanical engineer with 40+ years automotive engineering and manufacturing experience. Stephan worked up the ranks of manufacturing at Ford Motor Company before moving to Chrysler as part of the storied senior executive team acknowledged with turning around the firm in the early 1980’s. He currently consults to the automotive industry on a worldwide basis.

Compass Members

John Carnago - Manufacturing and Engineering executive with 35 years experience at Ford Motor Company; ten years in manufacturing implementing stamping, cold heading, and plastic injection molding processes; twenty five years in product design, introducing electronic ignition systems and power train control systems. Areas of expertise include software design, hardware application

Michael Evans - Retired Daimler Chrysler Vice-President of Product Strategy & Chairman of the Corporate Product Planning Committee.

David Fisher - In the automotive business 35 years. Has held positions as VP of R&D for Dayco Power Train Systems, President/ CEO of Pioneer Engineering one of the oldest premier engineering companies in Detroit. Pioneer touched every aspect of the automobile manufacturing business from engineering, simulations, to prototype build. CEO Converge/ Jake International which provided program management and technical exchange services along with sales representation.

William Herd - Partner Classic Design Tooling

Roger Van Kampen

Mahendra (Max) Kapadia - Max Kapadia is president of Kapstone Consultants and an associate partner of Compass Inc. As a Ford Motor senior Product Development Executive and Chief Engineer he has led crossfunctional teams up to 1000 professionals in successfully turning around distressed programs and improving productivity and operating efficiency of organizations. He has Masters in Business Administrations as well as Mechanical Engineering. He also has been awarded several Business Leadership and Technological Awards for Excellence.

Ken Kareta - In the automotive business 40 years and in business 26 years – CEO of Classic Design which provides engineering, design, and build of special machines, automation, weld systems, general assembly tooling, robotic integration, simulation, processing and process validation. Took Classic from a start up to a $50 million enterprise.

Larry Lawson - 30 Years in the automotive business. Former Ford Motor Company Process Engineer, General Manager of Dominion Tool, Founding president of Beta Tech (sold to Stanley Tool), Operations Manager of ITW-Micro Poise Tire and Wheel Group, President of CDFS a specialized welding process for the automotive power train market. Background in tooling and test equipment for the automotive industry.

Steve Matta -

Erich Mau - Over 24 years in the automotive business – served as program manager for General Electric overseeing automotive automation/ robotic assembly applications. Founded and is the president of Sandalwood Enterprises Inc. The firm consults in manufacturing and assembly methodologies with staff groups specializing in process optimization, workforce sciences, and information management. Sandalwood is the recipient of a record number of Henry Ford Technology Awards from Ford Motor Company.

Tom McDaniel - Mayor Birmingham, MI, former General Motors Vice President of Asian and Pacific Operations.

Tom Moore - Retired Vice President, Daimler Chrysler Liberty & Technical Affairs.

Michael Tracy - Mr. Tracy is a Principal of The Agile Group, Inc. specializing in providing consulting and engineering services to industries involved in technology intensive manufacturing. Previously, Mr. Tracy was Vice President and Director of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering for Smith, Hinchman & Grylls Associates, Inc. and Director, CIM Consulting for the Michigan Business Unit of KPMG Peat Marwick. In addition, he has held positions as a principal design engineer, manufacturing engineer, and production liaison engineer in divisions of two Fortune 100 firms.

Tom Winters - Has 35 years experience in the tool and die industry, mainly in sales and marketing. In 1989, he was appointed Executive Vice-President and Chief Operational Officer for Autodie International of Grand Rapids, Michigan and then President in 1990. PICO of Southfield, Michigan purchased Autodie in December of 1992. Currently Executive Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Riviera Tool Company, a publicly traded company.