Howard Earle Coffin (September 6, 1873 – November 21, 1937) was an American automobile engineer and industrialist.

He was born on September 6, 1873, on a farm near West Milton, Ohio,[2] and raised there and in Ann Arbor, Michigan, during his early years.

[11] He served as vice president and chief engineer of Hudson Motor Car Company, designing many of their early models.

With new financing thru one of the six principals, the respected department store merchant and bank officer, Joseph L. Hudson, provided much of the capitalization set at $100,000.

[13] After he had resigned under corruption allegations in March, President Wilson appointed John D. Ryan in April 1918 to replace Coffin as head of the board.

[14] He inadvertently killed himself at Sea Island on November 21, 1937, the result of a gunshot wound from his favorite rifle.