He was sponsored by the Saginaw Malleable Iron Division to attend the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan, later known as Kettering University, where he combined engineering courses with time spent in the company's foundries.
[1] After completing his military service, McDonald went back to General Motors in 1946, at the company's Saginaw Malleable Iron plant.
[2] He oversaw the consolidation of GM's five car divisions into two car-making units, with the goal of streamlining production and improving quality control.
The move was criticized for having eliminated the distinctive styling of each of GM's badges and creating similar appearing vehicles.
[1] Asked for any regrets during his tenure at the automaker, he said he "would make the Eldorado seven inches longer", as his 1985 redesign of the vehicle led to lower sales for the car.