WARREN, MI - On Jan. 21 Daniel “Frank” Sauceman passed away at age 83. He was born on May 19, 1928. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in Jan. 1956. He started in the fleet business with Chevrolet on Jan. 16, 1957. Sauceman transferred to Detroit at Chevrolet’s central office in 1966 where he spent the balance of his career. He was promoted to GM Executive on Nov. 1, 1987.
Sauceman ran Chevrolet’s Fleet Services from the late 1970s until his retirement on Jan. 1, 1991.
According to Jim McCallum, former GM Fleet Department employee and long-time friend, he was instrumental in developing and expanding fleet in-shop warranty capabilities for Chevrolet vehicles.
“He helped make service a competitive advantage for Chevrolet in the fleet industry,” said Jim McCallum. “He was instrumental in Chevrolet’s growth in the fleet market during George Frink’s reign as Fleet Director. He was great with fleet customers, both commercial and rental. He could take an upset service customer, address his problem, and keep him as a customer for Chevrolet. He was a mentor for many up-and-coming service employees, and was well liked by customers and fellow employees. He had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh.”
After retiring from Chevrolet, he went back to work for GM in the Auction Group as a contract employee for 15 years. During this period, he was responsible for many updates in the auction procedures.
He helped integrate the various GM divisional service systems and procedures for warranty repairs at auction sites.
“I’ve been told by the people involved that the standardization of claims and repairs he implemented has been saving GM millions of dollars a year over the last 10 years. He accomplished this with rental car company buy-in and admitted cost savings for them too,” McCallum said reported.
Sauceman’s team also converted auction inspection and turnback procedures from manual to electronic during this period, time decreasing time and expenses for GM and their customers. The systems and procedures he put in place for GM are still being used today.
He is survived by his wife, Elaine Sauceman and a son, Daniel G. Sauceman of Michigan. Locally, survivors include a brother-in-law, Billy Joe Eisenhour; and other family members: Nancy and Clark Justis, Wayne and Jamie Ailshie, Tina Ailshie and Eric Christiansen; a great-niece: Sarah Justis; and great-nephews: Calvin Justis and Eric Justis, and their families. Other out-of-town survivors are family members: Pat and Donny Floars of North Carolina and Wanda Sauceman and Sherry and Danny Holecheck of Florida.
