Rodney Copes: 2024 Distinguished Achievement Award recipient

BSME ’88 (MSME ’93, MIT; MBA ’93, MIT)
Executive Chairman, Slate

A mechanical engineer and senior executive, anchored by strong values, who has built high-performing global teams that have delivered exceptional results in the motor vehicle industry.

As the motor vehicle industry undergoes a major transformation toward electrification, Rod Copes is well-equipped to help companies navigate this change.

“I bring a real balanced background that includes leadership experience at both large companies in the traditional motor vehicle industry and at small startups working on this new wave of electrification,” he says. “I think combining these diverse experiences is important for achieving success in the dynamic electric vehicle industry.”

Copes worked at Harley-Davidson for nearly 20 years and held numerous executive positions, including senior vice president of global sales and customer service, from 2009 to 2012. He left Harley-Davidson in late 2012 to follow his entrepreneurial spirit.

“I bought a small manufacturing company and ran it,” he says. “I learned more in the first year of running a small company with 25 employees than I did in the last five years at Harley-Davidson, because I was ultimately responsible for the company’s success and for making payroll. That experience got me excited about working with smaller startups and new ventures.”

From 2014 to 2020, Copes was president of Royal Enfield Americas and worked to reintroduce and grow the Indian motorcycle company’s presence in North and South America. In 2020, he joined electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian as its first chief operating officer and helped the company rapidly scale up its operations until his retirement in 2021.

Copes is still involved with startup companies. He is executive chairman of Slate, which is focused on bringing to market a desirable, safe and affordable electric vehicle. He is also chairman of the board of Exro Technologies Inc., a technology company that builds power electronics for electric vehicles. In addition, he serves on the board of Volumetric Building Companies, a modular construction company that ships factory-built modules to a building site, resulting in construction that is greener and less costly.

Of what professional accomplishment are you most proud?

My positive impact on people. Throughout my career, I’ve had many great bosses and mentors, and so I try to pay it forward and help others advance in their careers by offering my time and sharing my experiences, both my successes and failures. The thing I cherish the most is working with people and being able to have a positive impact and help others be more successful going forward. I’ve enjoyed leading teams to accomplish amazing things, whether that be with a new product launch, gaining profitability or setting the strategic vision for the business.

How did your engineering education enable your success?

Engineering teaches you how to solve problems, and my education at UW-Madison gave me strong skills to solve complicated problems, which I’ve drawn on while working for different companies throughout my career. I learned how to be a systems thinker, to step back and see how things are interrelated, and that has been very valuable.

Which do you prefer?

Winter or summer in Madison?
I’m a warmer-weather person, so summer. I hated walking to class on the cold, wintry days.

Fun on the Terrace or fun on Lake Mendota?
My crowd was into the Terrace. There’s nothing like it on a nice warm evening while enjoying some beverages.

State Street or the Lakeshore Path?
Definitely State Street.

Camp Randall, the Kohl Center, or the UW Field House?
Back in my day, the basketball team was awful. The football team was awful. The hockey team was actually good. But I spent the most time at Camp Randall and enjoyed the game day experience.