Former Federal-Mogul CEO Russell Has Died

Thomas Russell, who headed Federal-Mogul Corp. for most of the 1970s and 1980s, died of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday in Detroit at age 88.

Russell joined the Southfield, Mich.-based supplier as a mail boy in 1942. He went on to jobs in finance and sales. Federal-Mogul appointed him president in 1972, CEO in 1975 and chairman in the following year. Russell retired in 1989.

Russell was nicknamed "the Velvet Hammer" for his affable but implacable management style, says Automotive News. Former colleagues tell the newspaper he was as an unassuming boss who knew the names of most of the employees at Federal-Mogul's headquarters.

Russell is survived by sons R. Brandon and Scott and four grandchildren.