Jouppi, Arvid

Arvid Jouppi, internationally-known specialist in the automobile and related industries, was born in Kaleva, Michigan, on March l4, l9l8, of Finnish parents. He attended what is now Michigan State University and received his B.A. degree in l940.uring World War II, Jouppi served as captain in the Marine Corps and became one of the few specialists in electronic countermeasures. He flew 35 combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also continued his education, as a special student at Harvard University and by enrolling in correspondence courses in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin.

During World War II, Jouppi served as captain in the Marine Corps and became one of the few specialists in electronic countermeasures. He flew 35 combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also continued his education, as a special student at Harvard University and by enrolling in correspondence courses in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin.

After the war, Jouppi spent several years as news editor in the Detroit Bureau of the Associated Press (AP). The automobile industry was one of the major areas of coverage for the bureau, and it was at that time that Jouppi's interest in automobile-related matters was sparked. In addition, he continued his studies by enrolling as a special student at the University of Michigan graduate school of engineering. He left the AP in l947 to join the Sperry Gyroscope Company as an engineering supervisor and as editor of the Sperry Engineering Review. He remained at Sperry for five years.

In l952, Jouppi began his long association with the automobile industry when he joined General Motors Corporation as a central staff executive. He developed and served as editor of the GM Engineering Journal and later worked in college and university relations. Jouppi left GM to work at Chrysler Corporation in December l957, serving initially as assistant director of investor relations and later as interim manager of plant and community relations activities. Jouppi then moved from Detroit to New York to become Chrysler's director of public and investor relations activities in the eastern United States. In his position he worked closely with many firms on Wall Street as Chrysler stock became one of the most actively traded on the stock exchange.

Jouppi's experience in the automobile industry and knowledge of investment practices led him to join Hayden, Stone Incorporated, a major Wall Street brokerage firm, in l963. He first worked as senior analyst of the automotive, truck, rubber fabricating, automotive parts, and farm machinery fields. One year later he was designated a member of the Research Operations Committee. He was elected vice president in l966 and assumed management of the firm's retail research activities. In that position, he supervised the budgeting, staffing, programming, and execution of research services for ll00 Hayden, Stone account executives, and an additional 300 executives in correspondent firms. Throughout his tenure at Hayden, Stone, Jouppi arranged forums, or discussion groups, of area financial and industrial leaders, a practice he would continue throughout his career and which would become a trademark of his.

In l970, Jouppi was elected to the Board of Directors of Hayden, Stone at a time when the firm was experiencing serious financial difficulties. He worked very hard to save the company, including the investment of a large amount of his own funds, but was unable to do so. In September of that year, Hayden, Stone was taken over by the firm of Cogan, Berlind, Weill and Levitt, and Jouppi's own assets were seriously depleted.

After the closing of Hayden, Stone, Jouppi immediately went to work for the Detroit research services firm of William C. Roney and Company, as vice president and director of research. He remained for a year but desired to return to Wall Street. In l971, therefore, he joined the firm of Delafield Childs, Inc., a Wall Street institutional research servicing firm, as vice president, supervisory analyst, and specialist in the automobile industry. He eventually became a senior vice president and member of the executive planning committee. He remained with the firm until January l975, at which time he left to establish his own research services firm, Arvid Jouppi Associates (AJA), located outside of Detroit, Michigan.

One of Jouppi's maxims for many years has been that research is critically important to insuring sound financial investments. As head of AJA, his time is devoted, in large part, to automobile-related financial research. He works on a fee basis for companies, fiduciary firms, and governmental agencies, and at times has been affiliated with and worked on a commission basis for various Wall Street firms, including Colin, Hochstin Company, John Muir and Company, and Keane Securities Company, Inc. Because of his extensive experience in studying the automobile industry and his easy accessibility, both the printed and electronic media have turned to him for insight and analysis. He has appeared regularly on the major television and radio networks and is frequently cited in the financial and business sections of leading newspapers.

Jouppi's personal and professional lives revolve around his devout Christianity. He is a member of the Peace Lutheran Church in Detroit, where he has taught Sunday School for many years, and is a financial advisor and trustee to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod Foundation. He also serves on the board of directors of Suomi College, and has long been affiliated with Gideons International.

Jouppi was married for many years to the former Marjorie Kline. She died of Parkinson's Disease in 1986. They had four children: Mary (Mrs. Paul Marquis), William, James, and Gloria. In 1987, Jouppi was remarried to Edith Lumley.

From the guide to the Arvid Jouppi Papers, 1940-1987, 1963-1987, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)