William Spengler – Harbor Light News

William F. (Bill) Spengler, long time resident of Harbor Spring with his wife Sarah, passed away peacefully last Monday evening, July 18.

Bill was born on September 22, 1928, in Columbus, Ohio to Louise and William F. Spengler II. He lived in Columbus for the next 23 years. Bill started working in the summers at age 16 when he created his own paint company, a business which grew rapidly and provided him with the finances necessary to go to college. He entered Ohio State in 1946 with the goal set by his parents of staying for two years, he instead ended up staying for five. While at Ohio State he was the president of Alpha Tau Omega, his social fraternity, along with the Alpha Kappa Psi and Beta Kappa Psi honorary fraternities. In 1950 he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. At the time Ohio State was experiencing an influx of students following the war and the teaching staff was short-handed. As a result, Bill was hired by the University to teach accounting, a position which did not pay very well but allowed him to go to school for free. That gave him the opportunity to complete his MBA degree one year later.

In that same year he married Sarah M. Burd, his high school sweetheart who had just graduated from Ohio State with a degree in Education. They remained married for 70 years, and they are survived by four children (Bill, Mary, John, and Carolyn), eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, one of which carries forward the William F. Spengler name. Following his wedding Bill began his corporate career by entering a unique, one-man training program with Owens-Illinois. At the time O-I was one of the one hundred largest companies in the United States and he remained with them for the next 34 years.

Bill took leaves of absence from Owens-Illinois on three occasions:

1) To fulfill his two-year military commitment. His first year was spent in Ohio auditing major military contractors in the United States. In his second year he was stationed in Germany where he became auditor general of two air bases, a position previously held by the rank of Colonel.

2) To work full time for the Governor of Ohio and help to form and direct the “Little Hoover Commission”. The team grew to over 100 businessmen and they saved the state millions of dollars. Ronald Reagan, then Governor of California, formed a similar commission based on their success.

3) To become Managing Director of United Glass, PLC in England. Here he was the only American in a company which was governed by an all-U.K. Board and listed on the London Stock Exchange. He led the company through a turnaround, moving from a significant loss to a profit within three years. His wife and four children joined him in England, it proved to be a great family experience.

Due to his accounting background his initial positions with Owens-Illinois were in the financial area. He rose rapidly through the ranks to become the youngest Controller in their history at the age of 32. He then became VP of Corporate Planning and, following his time in England, he was appointed President and COO of International Operations. He became President and COO of Domestic Operations just a few years later. His final position at O-I was as Vice Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer, Bill took early retirement in 1986.

Shortly after retiring from Owens-Illinois Bill joined the Distillers Corporation, PLC as Vice Chairman, a business in the U.K. which produced, bottled, and distributed scotch and gin products worldwide. As the world’s leading scotch producer, they had brands such as Johnny Walker, Dewars and Haig, while their gin brands included Gordon’s and Tanqueray. Shortly after joining the company, it began to receive take-over offers and Bill quickly became the chief spokesman for the company in a highly public contest with Guinness. Meeting frequently with a room full of British reporters was a unique experience for him, following the Guinness take-over Bill retired for the second and final time at the age of 58.

Bill’s professional career was complemented by his many contributions to charities such as the Boy’s Club, the Red Cross, and others, along with the time he spent on various boards at well-known companies. Among other things he managed the first “Jamie Farr Classic”, an LPGA tour event for charity that continues today. Bill was also the President of three country clubs; the Toledo Country Club, The Birchwood Farms Club in Harbor Springs, and the Country Club of Florida where he resided with his wife Sarah for over thirty years.

Bill enjoyed golf, fly fishing and tennis, although in his own words he usually performed at a “a very modest level of proficiency”. Above all he was a great husband, father and grandfather who leaves behind a loving family and many friends who will dearly miss him.

In line with his wishes, the family asks that you consider a donation to the “Sarah M. and William F. Spengler MBA Enrichment Fund”, a link to which is as follows: : Make your gift to The Ohio State University (osu.edu)