The American Dream Story of Billy Bell

Published on January 06, 2026

By Office of Communication

General Motors Arlington Assembly celebrates 72 years in The American Dream City in 2026. It’s longest tenured employee, who started Oct. 3, 1962, remains a vital part to the plant and living his American Dream.

Billy Bell started his GM career at age 19.

“I started in the cushion room,” Bell explained. “I'd run what's called a clip gun. We had wires and would clip them together as we made the frame of the seat.”

Now, Bell is a Team Leader with the company.

“Team leader's job is to assist his team,” he described. "They get behind, I just jump in there and help them out. Especially on assembly line, you know, get them out of the hole. Anything they need, I go get it for them.”

Bell says it is remarkable to see the amount of development in The American Dream City since he started in 1962.

“This plant and Arlington have really grown,” he said. “[State Highway] 360 out here, when I hired him in ‘62, it was just kind of an ‘oil-top road.' And down here at the railroad track, you had to go one at a time. You'd go, and then another car would go. It was one lane under that railroad track, and now it’s about eight lanes.”

Bell says he continues to enjoy working at General Motors nearly 64 years after he started.

“General Motors been good to me,” he stated, “Everything I've got I owe it to them. That's what we all strive for: just have a home, have a car, clothes on your back, and have food on the table. Basically, you got them, you got everything you need. I’m proud to be here that long. A lot of people hadn't because of health. The Good Lord has blessed me.”