Borge Reimer

Borge Reimer, 94, passed away peacefully at 7:25 am on Saturday, February 8, 2025, in his home in Petoskey, Michigan of natural causes.  He was surrounded by family.

Borge was born January 18, 1931, in Odense, Denmark.  He was the son of Carl and Gudrun Reimer. 

Borge and his late wife, Hennie, lived in Northern Michigan since the early 1980’s.  Initially they divided their time between their homes on Lake Walloon and in Petoskey and ultimately settled permanently in Petoskey.  They were both born in Denmark and came to Petoskey via St. Catharines, Ontario, Toledo, Ohio, and Longboat Key, Florida.  They were members of Walloon Lake Country Club.

Borge graduated as a mechanical engineer from Odense Maskin Teknikum, Denmark in 1953.  He subsequently emigrated with his wife Hennie.  He joined Hayes-Dana Limited in Canada, a Dana Corporation subsidiary, in 1956 as a project engineer and advanced to chief product engineer.  In 1966 he was named plant manager of Hayes-Dana’s frame plant.  The following year he became director of sales and engineering.  He was promoted to vice president – Chassis Division in 1968, a position he held until his election as executive vice president and general manager of Hayes-Dana in 1969.  He was also elected to the Hayes-Dana Board that same year and was named president in 1970. In 1972 he was elected chairman of The Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturing Association.

Borge and his family emigrated to Toledo, Ohio when Borge became Group Vice President and a member of the Policy Committee of Dana Corporation in 1973.  He became Senior Group Vice President in 1976.  He was named President - Industrial in 1978 and appointed Executive Vice President in 1981.  In addition to his position of Executive Vice President, Borge was President Dana Europe from December 1986 through July 1993.

Borge was responsible for Dana’s in-house education including the Dana University Business, Technical and Customer & Industrial Schools.  He also oversaw Dana’s Technical Resource Park.  Throughout his career, Borge also served internationally on the boards of Dana Corporation affiliates in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Borge completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.  He was a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario Canada, The Society of Automotive Engineers and its Emerging Technology Advisory Board.  At the University of Toledo, he was a member of the Business Advisory Council and the Manufacturing Management Advisory Board.

Borge retired from the Dana Corporation in 1996 after close to 40 years of service but continued to serve as Senior Advisor Advanced Technology and Technology Planning for an additional three years.

Borge and Hennie Reimer chose a life rich with public service, working with organizations including The University of Toledo schools of Business and Engineering, St. Vincent’s Medical Center (Toledo, OH) and the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, FL, and numerous other community organizations in St. Catharines and Toledo.  Believing in strategic philanthropy, when the Reimers settled full time in the Petoskey area they investigated local organizations and decided to share their time, expertise, and charitable giving with the then Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, now known as McLaren Hospital.  They appreciate the efforts made at the hospital to provide innovative healthcare in a beautiful setting and feel that such efforts should be supported.

Borge is survived by his daughter Tina (Alexander, Sr.) Petok; son Glenn (Heidi) Reimer; grandchildren: Alexander Petok, Jr., Nicholas Petok, Catherine (Petok) Coyle, Colleen Reimer; and Stephanie Reimer; and his great-grandchildren: Dylan Petok, Andrew Petok, Alexandra Petok, and Maximo Petok.

A private memorial service will be held at Emmanual Episcopal Church and a Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held at a future date to be determined.

Borges’s legacy of love and dedication will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.  He will be lovingly remembered by his family and friends.

Services are in the care of Stone Funeral Home.

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