Stephen A. Girard Jr., 91; Industrialist Introduced Jeep to Civilian Drivers

Stephen A. Girard Jr., 91, an industrialist who helped introduce the military Jeep to civilian drivers, died of natural causes Nov. 27 in Napa, Calif.

A native of Hoquiam, Wash., who was educated at the University of Washington, Girard spent his entire career with Kaiser Corp., beginning in 1938 as construction superintendent on the Grand Coulee Dam. During World War II, he supervised construction of ships at the Kaiser yards in Vancouver, Wash.

From 1959 to 1970, Girard served as president of Kaiser Jeep Corp., which held trademark rights to the name of the tough little Jeep that had ferried soldiers during the war. Kaiser sold the company to American Motors in 1970, and Jeep is now a part of DaimlerChrysler Corp.

Girard went on to become chief executive of Kaiser Industries Corp., directing the holding company’s liquidation, and then headed the independent companies Kaiser Resources coal mines and Kaiser Steel.

After his retirement, he founded the boutique Girard Winery in Napa Valley.