Michael J. Guthrie
Michael J. Guthrie is Co-Chairman of SPECTRA LMP LLC, a Detroit, Michigan based holding company. Michael and Carlton Guthrie are sole shareholders of SPECTRA.
SPECTRA’s subsidiaries include DETROIT CHASSIS, LLC , an assembler of running Class A RV and commercial truck chassis located in Detroit, Michigan; DETROIT CHASSIS AVON, a Tier 1 provider of axles and tire & wheel assemblies to the medium duty commercial truck industry located in Avon, OH; and, DETROIT CUSTOM CHASSIS, LLC , a provider of custom up-fits and alternative powertrain conversions for commercial truck chassis located in Detroit Michigan.
Michael is a native of Gary, Indiana where he was a high school valedictorian. He received an A.B. from Harvard University in 1972 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1975. Michael practiced corporate litigation at an international law firm headquartered in Chicago, IL for several years prior to joining Johnson Products Company, a publicly held hair care, cosmetic and beauty products manufacturer, where he quickly advanced to senior leadership positions in corporate strategy and operations.
In 1985, Michael and Carlton partnered to acquire the tool and die and stamping operations of Uptilt, Inc. and Trumark. Inc., in Lansing, Michigan. Their 30 year + union has been fruitful as they have jointly owned several businesses in sub-assembly and fabrication, metal stamping, tool and die, steel processing and warehousing, material sequencing, and product design and engineering as Tier Zero and first and second tier suppliers to the automotive and transportation industries.
Michael is past President and Board Chair of: The National Association of Black Automotive Suppliers, The National Association of Black Automotive Suppliers Scholarship Fund, The Michigan Council on Vocational Education, Junior Achievement of Mid-Michigan and the Children’s Aid Society of SE
Michigan.
Michael’s board and advisory committee memberships have also included the following: the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management of Michigan State University, Comerica Bank of Michigan Central Region, Lansing Community College Foundation, Lansing Community College Business/Industry Institute, Junior Achievement of Mid-Michigan and Junior Achievement of Southeast Michigan, The Single Parent Family Institute of Lansing, The Black Child and Family Institute of Lansing, Children’s Aid Society of SE Michigan, the East Side Industrial Council of Detroit and the Community Advisory
Board for Davis Aerospace Technical H.S. of Detroit.
The Guthries and their businesses have been recognized by Quality Magazine on the Quality Leadership 100 list, as “Supplier of the Year” by On Wheels, Inc, and The National Minority Business Development Council, and “Michigan Manufacturer of the Year” by Impressions 5 Museum of Lansing. The Greater Lansing Business Monthly named the Guthries “Entrepreneurs of the Year.” Ernst &Young named Michael and Carlton “Entrepreneurs of the Year” for Southeast Michigan. Michael has received the “Platinum Award” for Lifetime Service from Junior Achievement of Mid-Michigan and has been a Junior Achievement classroom consultant for over 35 classes.
The Guthries are committed advocates for community investment and community leadership. Michael actively mentors college students at Michigan State University, Oakland University and Wayne State University. Detroit Chassis has actively funded numerous scholarships and internships through
partnerships with Davis Aerospace Technical H.S. and the National Association of Black Suppliers Scholarship Fund.
Michael and his wife Valorie are the proud parents of two children (Lauren and Kayla) and three grandchild, Zoe, Olivia and Orion.