Faces of GM

Bruce: Driving the Warrior

October 13, 2009 at 1:17 pm

Editor’s Note: Bruce was kind enough to take the time to videotape the assembly of his 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe, which he’s nicknamed the “Warrior,” and post it to Faces of GM. Here’s his story.

Who am I?Bruce Quernemoen – a loyal GM customer since age 6, when my dad bought a new 1956 Chevy Bel Air station wagon. It was special because there were only a few station wagons in town and we had a third row seat. Later, he bought a new 1962 Chevy Impala Station Wagon. I loved those cars. Today at age 83, Dad drives a 2007 Impala.

The 1956 Chevy Bel Air Station Wagon

Employer: Vice President at a division of Emerson that manufactures Fisher Control Valves for oil refineries, chemical plants, power companies and pulp and paper mills around the world.

First set of wheels: A red and white 1955 Chevy two-door. I bought it in 1965 for $125 with paper route money and sold it in 1968 for $75. If I had it today it would be worth thousands of dollars. Wish I had a picture to show you.

Hobby: Videography. I own seven video cameras, including three high-definition cameras. I can edit in HD and output to Blu-ray discs. I video for friends, relatives, neighbors, non-profit organizations and my church. With my retirement approaching in a few years my hobby will probably turn into a business.

The 1962 Chevy Impala Station Wagon

Motoring history: In my career, I’ve had 16 vehicles and 13 have been GM, probably some influence from my growing-up years. When our two children were in high school we loved our 1983 GMC conversion van. It was great for hauling our kids and their friends around. In July I ordered a 2009 White Tahoe LTZ “Warrior” (see video). Lynn, my wife of 38 years, drives 2009 CTS and has been a Cadillac fan for years.

Why do I call it the Warrior? I travel to China on business 2-3 times a year and one of my personal “wonders of the world” is in the city of Xian where the Terracotta Warriors were discovered by a farmer digging a well in 1974. (See the replica statue on my porch). In approximately 210 BC the Emperor’s mother commissioned the building of about 8,000 of the statues to protect the emperors Tomb when he died. They were buried in pits and weren’t discovered until over 2000 years later by a farmer.