GM Announces New North American Leadership Team

    


    DETROIT, March 2 /CNW/ --
    --  Enhanced focus on customer and dealer support
    --  GM North America business unit strengthened
    --  Separate organizations created for sales and marketing

    
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<p>General Motors today announced a restructured North American organization with a number of key leadership changes.</p>
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    Intense Focus on the Customer
    
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<p>GM <span class="xn-location">North America</span> is focused on strengthening consideration for the company's brands and products, shifting from a combined sales and marketing organization to one that enables the company to engage experts in each respective role. With a flatter structure, accountability is elevated to the highest level.</p>
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<p>"It's become extremely clear to me since taking this role that there is a better way to structure this organization," said <span class="xn-person">Mark Reuss</span>, GM <span class="xn-location">North America</span> president. "The premise of the structure is simple -- a clearer marketing focus to sell more vehicles, and freeing our sales and service experts to focus on customers and dealers.</p>
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<p>"In order to be successful in <span class="xn-location">North America</span>, we need the right mix of product, people and structure," Reuss continued, "We've worked with a small group of executives to align this model and appoint the best candidates for each job."</p>
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    All appointments are effective immediately.

    Marketing Organization
    
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<p>As the single point for marketing, <span class="xn-person">Susan Docherty</span> is appointed vice president, U.S. marketing, reporting to Reuss. Senior executives reporting to Docherty, responsible for the marketing of their respective brands include:</p>
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    --  Jim Campbell, U.S. marketing vice president, Chevrolet;
    --  Don Butler, U.S. marketing vice president, Cadillac. Butler rejoins
the
        company from INRIX; and,
    --  John Schwegman, U.S. marketing vice president, Buick-GMC. Schwegman
was
        most recently Chevrolet product marketing director.

    Sales Organization
    
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<p>Reinforcing the company's intense focus on the customer, sales leaders for the brands also reporting directly to Reuss include:</p>
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    --  Alan Batey, vice president, sales and service, Chevrolet. Batey was
        most recently president and managing director of GM's Holden
operations
        in Australia. A replacement for Batey will be named at a later date;
    --  Brian Sweeney remains with the Buick-GMC as U.S. sales and service
vice
        president;
    --  Kurt McNeil, U.S. sales and service vice president, Cadillac. McNeil
        was previously general sales manager, Chevrolet.

    
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<p>A leader in design, <span class="xn-person">Bryan Nesbitt</span> is leaving Cadillac and returning to his home organization as executive director, advanced concept group, reporting to <span class="xn-person">Ed Welburn</span>, vice president, global design.</p>
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<p>Reporting to Reuss, <span class="xn-person">Steve Carlisle</span> is appointed vice president, U.S. sales operations, responsible for dealer network, retail sales support and fleet & commercial. Carlisle was most recently executive director, GM South East Asia Operations, and president, managing director, GM <span class="xn-location">Thailand</span>.  Carlisle will be replaced by <span class="xn-person">Martin Apfel</span>, who will report to <span class="xn-person">Tim Lee</span>, president of GM International Operations. Apfel was most recently executive director of global manufacturing and planning. Senior executives reporting to Carlisle, responsible for their respective functions include:</p>
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    --  Jim Bunnell, general director, network support; and
    --  Brian Small, general manager, fleet & commercial;
    --  A general manager, retail sales support will be named at a later date.

    
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<p>"This structure has been developed with as few layers as possible between me, the dealer and the customer," said Reuss. "By removing layers and giving leaders increased accountability, we allow them to move faster and focus on what needs to be done."</p>
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    Other Key North American Organizations
    
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<p>In addition to direct lines for marketing and sales, the following key North American organizations will report directly to Reuss.</p>
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    New appointments include:

    --  Chris Preuss, vice president and president, OnStar. Preuss was most
        recently vice president, Communications, reporting to Ed Whitacre.
        Preuss succeeds Walt Dorfstatter, who will assume an executive
director
        role in global product operations. A replacement for Preuss will be
        named at a later date;
    --  Kevin Williams, president and managing director, GM Canada. Most
        recently, Williams was responsible for leading service & parts
        operations (SPO). He succeeds Arturo Elias, who will take a position
in
        the company's public policy center, reporting to John Montford, senior
        advisor, public policy;
    --  Steve Hill, general manager, GM customer care and aftersales. Most
        recently Hill was general manager, retail sales support.

    The following executives continue in their current positions:

    --  Grace Lieblein, president and managing director, GM de Mexico;
    --  Diana Tremblay, vice president, manufacturing and labor relations; and
    --  Chuck Stevens, chief financial officer for North America.

    
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<p><span class="xn-person">Mary Sipes</span> returns to portfolio planning as executive director, North American product planning, a key interface to the global engineering and product development organizations. In this position, she reports to <span class="xn-person">Jon Lauckner</span>, vice president global product planning. Sipes was previously executive director, corporate planning.</p>
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<p>The North American team is also supported with executives from key functions including human resources, legal, information technology, and communications.</p>
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<p>"This is my team. Leaders with exceptional talent from around the world, combined with strategic thinking from outside. They are the right team for GM <span class="xn-location">North America</span> now, hand-picked and put in place to win," concluded Reuss.</p>
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<p>About General Motors:  General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908.  With its global headquarters in <span class="xn-location">Detroit</span>, GM employs 204,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries.  GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands:  Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling.  GM's largest national market is the <span class="xn-location">United States</span>, followed by <span class="xn-location">China</span>, <span class="xn-location">Brazil</span>, <span class="xn-location">Germany</span>, the <span class="xn-location">United Kingdom</span>, <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>, and <span class="xn-location">Italy</span>.  GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.  General Motors acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on <span class="xn-chron">July 10, 2009</span>, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation.  More information on the new General Motors can be found at <a href="http://www.gm.com">www.gm.com</a>.</p>
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For further information: Jason Laird, [phone], [email protected], Lori McTavish, [phone], [email protected], Tom Wilkinson, [phone], [email protected]