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Two weeks after becoming the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra got blind sided with the news that a major safety problem, a faulty ignition switch in certain vehicles that could turn and cause the vehicle to stop with no warning had come to light. This switch was flagged years ago as being problematic but nothing aside from service bulletin was ever done. This problem was linked at the time to several crashes and 13 fatalities. When Barra testified to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce about the ignition switch, she said that she only knew about the issue in late January. But many questioned for someone who worked at the company for 34 years, why was she kept in the dark? How did she not know about this at all? "Mary has said it: The moment she became aware of the problem, as I would expect, she confronted it. She didn't know about it. I bet my life on it," said former GM CEO Dan Akerson in a interview with Forbes. This is the first time that Akerson has made any comment regarding ignition switch recall. No mention was made if Akerson knew anything about the recall during his tenure. Source: Forbes William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
Two weeks after becoming the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra got blind sided with the news that a major safety problem, a faulty ignition switch in certain vehicles that could turn and cause the vehicle to stop with no warning had come to light. This switch was flagged years ago as being problematic but nothing aside from service bulletin was ever done. This problem was linked at the time to several crashes and 13 fatalities. When Barra testified to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce about the ignition switch, she said that she only knew about the issue in late January. But many questioned for someone who worked at the company for 34 years, why was she kept in the dark? How did she not know about this at all? "Mary has said it: The moment she became aware of the problem, as I would expect, she confronted it. She didn't know about it. I bet my life on it," said former GM CEO Dan Akerson in a interview with Forbes. This is the first time that Akerson has made any comment regarding ignition switch recall. No mention was made if Akerson knew anything about the recall during his tenure. Source: Forbes William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 10, 2013 January 15, 2014 will be an important day at General Motors. Current CEO Dan Akerson will retire and Mary Barra, the executive vice president for global product development, purchasing, and supply chain will become the company's CEO. This announcement just comes a day after the U.S. Treasury said it had sold all of its shares in GM. Akerson planned to stepped down from the automaker sometime in 2014, but pulled ahead his succession plan after finding out his wife was diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer. “I will leave with great satisfaction in what we have accomplished, great optimism over what is ahead and great pride that we are restoring General Motors as America’s standard bearer in the global auto industry,” Akerson said in a statement. Barra was one of the people in the running to become the next CEO at GM, Other people in consideration were Vice Chairman Steve Girsky, Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann, and North American President Mark Reuss. Many people who keep a close eye on the automotive industry throught Reuss would be the one. Barra has been with GM since 1980 and has held a number of positions during that time including executive director of competitive operations engineering, plant manager at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, and vice president of global manufacturing engineering. “With an amazing portfolio of cars and trucks and the strongest financial performance in our recent history, this is an exciting time at today’s GM. I’m honored to lead the best team in the business and to keep our momentum at full speed,” said Barra. Along with the appointment of Barra to CEO, General Motors has also made a few other changes to the executive lineup. Dan Ammann, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer has been named company president. His responsibilities include managing the company’s regional operations around the world. Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President and North American President will take Mary Barra's former position of Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. Alan Batey, Senior Vice President of Global Chevrolet and U.S. Sales and Marketing will become the new North American President. Steve Girsky, Vice Chairman for Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Global Product Planning will move into a senior advisor role before stepping down from GM next April. He will remain apart of GM's Board of Directors. Source: General Motors, The Detroit News William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 Dan Akerson to Retire as GM CEO in January 2014 Mary Barra to Become Next CEO; Dan Ammann Named President DETROIT – General Motors today announced that Dan Akerson, who guided today’s GM to record profits and dramatic improvement in vehicle quality while closing the chapter on government ownership in the company, will step down as chairman and CEO on Jan. 15, 2014. Mary Barra, 51, executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, was elected by the Board of Directors to become the next CEO of the company. Barra will also join the GM Board. Akerson, 65, pulled ahead his succession plan by several months after his wife was recently diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer. The Board also named Theodore (Tim) Solso to succeed Akerson as Chairman. Solso, 66, is the former chairman and CEO of Cummins, Inc., and has been a member of the GM Board since June 2012. “I will leave with great satisfaction in what we have accomplished, great optimism over what is ahead and great pride that we are restoring General Motors as America’s standard bearer in the global auto industry,” Akerson said in a message to employees. With 33 years of experience at GM, Barra has risen through a series of manufacturing, engineering, and senior staff positions. She is a leader in the company’s ongoing turnaround, revitalizing GM’s product development process resulting in the launch of critically acclaimed new products while delivering record product quality ratings and higher customer satisfaction. “With an amazing portfolio of cars and trucks and the strongest financial performance in our recent history, this is an exciting time at today’s GM,” said Barra. “I’m honored to lead the best team in the business and to keep our momentum at full speed.” Dan Ammann, 41, executive vice president and chief financial officer, was named company president and will assume responsibility for managing the company’s regional operations around the world. The global Chevrolet and Cadillac brand organizations and GM Financial will also report to Ammann. Ammann joined GM in 2010 where his first assignment was to manage GM’s initial public offering. As CFO, he has led a transformation of GM’s finance operations into a world-class organization. He also led the strategy to rebuild the company’s captive finance capability through the successful establishment and growth of GM Financial. “We have a significant opportunity to further integrate and optimize our operations to deliver even better results,” said Ammann. “While we have made good progress, we still have much work ahead of us to realize GM’s full potential.” Ammann will retain CFO responsibilities at least through the release of the company’s fourth quarter and full-year 2013 results in early February 2014. His replacement as CFO will be named later. Mark Reuss, 50, executive vice president and president, North America, will replace Barra as executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. Under Reuss’ watch, GM’s North America region has produced consistent profits and improved margins during a product renaissance that includes the launch of award-winning cars and trucks such as the Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Corvette, Impala and Silverado pickup. “The driver’s seat of designing and engineering the strongest product line up in GM’s history is the best seat to have,” said Reuss. “We’re going to keep the pedal down on GM’s product resurgence and keep winning new customers.” Alan Batey, currently senior vice president, Global Chevrolet and U.S. Sales and Marketing, will replace Reuss and is named Executive Vice President and President, North America. Batey, 50, joined GM’s Vauxhall operation in 1979 and held several sales, service and marketing positions around the world. In his current position, he has developed the Chevrolet brand’s Find New Roads advertising campaign and has overseen a sweeping upgrade of retail sales and service operations at hundreds of U.S. dealerships. “North America is the foundation of the GM turnaround story and I’m honored to help continue what Mark started,” said Batey. “We remain committed to delivering the world’s best retail experience to match the world’s best cars and trucks.” The company also announced that Steve Girsky, 51, vice chairman, Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Global Product Planning, will move to a senior advisor role until leaving the company in April 2014. He will remain on the GM Board of Directors. Girsky led GM’s turnaround plan for Europe that has put that region’s operations back on a path to profitability. He has also put GM’s OnStar unit at the forefront of in-vehicle connectivity and helped create GM Ventures to speed the commercialization of new technologies in GM vehicles. “I share Dan’s pride for what the company has accomplished and his sense of optimism for a bright future,” said Girsky. “This team is united in its commitment to building on the foundation that we have established.” Under Akerson’s leadership, GM made swift progress as the company transformed from being majority owned by U.S. Treasury to being publicly traded and investment grade rated. “My goals as CEO were to put the customer at the center of every decision we make, to position GM for long term success and to make GM a company that America can be proud of again,” Akerson said. “We are well down that path, and I’m certain that our new team will keep us moving in that direction.” Akerson was named GM Chairman and CEO on September 1, 2010. He joined GM in 2009 as a member of its Board of Directors. Since the company’s November 2010 Initial Public Offering, GM has recorded 15 consecutive quarters of profitability, has earned this year the best overall initial vehicle quality scores of any auto manufacturer, and has re-invested nearly $9 billion and created or retained more than 25,000 jobs at its U.S plants. -
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 10, 2013 January 15, 2014 will be an important day at General Motors. Current CEO Dan Akerson will retire and Mary Barra, the executive vice president for global product development, purchasing, and supply chain will become the company's CEO. This announcement just comes a day after the U.S. Treasury said it had sold all of its shares in GM. Akerson planned to stepped down from the automaker sometime in 2014, but pulled ahead his succession plan after finding out his wife was diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer. “I will leave with great satisfaction in what we have accomplished, great optimism over what is ahead and great pride that we are restoring General Motors as America’s standard bearer in the global auto industry,” Akerson said in a statement. Barra was one of the people in the running to become the next CEO at GM, Other people in consideration were Vice Chairman Steve Girsky, Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann, and North American President Mark Reuss. Many people who keep a close eye on the automotive industry throught Reuss would be the one. Barra has been with GM since 1980 and has held a number of positions during that time including executive director of competitive operations engineering, plant manager at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, and vice president of global manufacturing engineering. “With an amazing portfolio of cars and trucks and the strongest financial performance in our recent history, this is an exciting time at today’s GM. I’m honored to lead the best team in the business and to keep our momentum at full speed,” said Barra. Along with the appointment of Barra to CEO, General Motors has also made a few other changes to the executive lineup. Dan Ammann, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer has been named company president. His responsibilities include managing the company’s regional operations around the world. Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President and North American President will take Mary Barra's former position of Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. Alan Batey, Senior Vice President of Global Chevrolet and U.S. Sales and Marketing will become the new North American President. Steve Girsky, Vice Chairman for Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Global Product Planning will move into a senior advisor role before stepping down from GM next April. He will remain apart of GM's Board of Directors. Source: General Motors, The Detroit News William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 Dan Akerson to Retire as GM CEO in January 2014 Mary Barra to Become Next CEO; Dan Ammann Named President DETROIT – General Motors today announced that Dan Akerson, who guided today’s GM to record profits and dramatic improvement in vehicle quality while closing the chapter on government ownership in the company, will step down as chairman and CEO on Jan. 15, 2014. Mary Barra, 51, executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, was elected by the Board of Directors to become the next CEO of the company. Barra will also join the GM Board. Akerson, 65, pulled ahead his succession plan by several months after his wife was recently diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer. The Board also named Theodore (Tim) Solso to succeed Akerson as Chairman. Solso, 66, is the former chairman and CEO of Cummins, Inc., and has been a member of the GM Board since June 2012. “I will leave with great satisfaction in what we have accomplished, great optimism over what is ahead and great pride that we are restoring General Motors as America’s standard bearer in the global auto industry,” Akerson said in a message to employees. With 33 years of experience at GM, Barra has risen through a series of manufacturing, engineering, and senior staff positions. She is a leader in the company’s ongoing turnaround, revitalizing GM’s product development process resulting in the launch of critically acclaimed new products while delivering record product quality ratings and higher customer satisfaction. “With an amazing portfolio of cars and trucks and the strongest financial performance in our recent history, this is an exciting time at today’s GM,” said Barra. “I’m honored to lead the best team in the business and to keep our momentum at full speed.” Dan Ammann, 41, executive vice president and chief financial officer, was named company president and will assume responsibility for managing the company’s regional operations around the world. The global Chevrolet and Cadillac brand organizations and GM Financial will also report to Ammann. Ammann joined GM in 2010 where his first assignment was to manage GM’s initial public offering. As CFO, he has led a transformation of GM’s finance operations into a world-class organization. He also led the strategy to rebuild the company’s captive finance capability through the successful establishment and growth of GM Financial. “We have a significant opportunity to further integrate and optimize our operations to deliver even better results,” said Ammann. “While we have made good progress, we still have much work ahead of us to realize GM’s full potential.” Ammann will retain CFO responsibilities at least through the release of the company’s fourth quarter and full-year 2013 results in early February 2014. His replacement as CFO will be named later. Mark Reuss, 50, executive vice president and president, North America, will replace Barra as executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. Under Reuss’ watch, GM’s North America region has produced consistent profits and improved margins during a product renaissance that includes the launch of award-winning cars and trucks such as the Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Corvette, Impala and Silverado pickup. “The driver’s seat of designing and engineering the strongest product line up in GM’s history is the best seat to have,” said Reuss. “We’re going to keep the pedal down on GM’s product resurgence and keep winning new customers.” Alan Batey, currently senior vice president, Global Chevrolet and U.S. Sales and Marketing, will replace Reuss and is named Executive Vice President and President, North America. Batey, 50, joined GM’s Vauxhall operation in 1979 and held several sales, service and marketing positions around the world. In his current position, he has developed the Chevrolet brand’s Find New Roads advertising campaign and has overseen a sweeping upgrade of retail sales and service operations at hundreds of U.S. dealerships. “North America is the foundation of the GM turnaround story and I’m honored to help continue what Mark started,” said Batey. “We remain committed to delivering the world’s best retail experience to match the world’s best cars and trucks.” The company also announced that Steve Girsky, 51, vice chairman, Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Global Product Planning, will move to a senior advisor role until leaving the company in April 2014. He will remain on the GM Board of Directors. Girsky led GM’s turnaround plan for Europe that has put that region’s operations back on a path to profitability. He has also put GM’s OnStar unit at the forefront of in-vehicle connectivity and helped create GM Ventures to speed the commercialization of new technologies in GM vehicles. “I share Dan’s pride for what the company has accomplished and his sense of optimism for a bright future,” said Girsky. “This team is united in its commitment to building on the foundation that we have established.” Under Akerson’s leadership, GM made swift progress as the company transformed from being majority owned by U.S. Treasury to being publicly traded and investment grade rated. “My goals as CEO were to put the customer at the center of every decision we make, to position GM for long term success and to make GM a company that America can be proud of again,” Akerson said. “We are well down that path, and I’m certain that our new team will keep us moving in that direction.” Akerson was named GM Chairman and CEO on September 1, 2010. He joined GM in 2009 as a member of its Board of Directors. Since the company’s November 2010 Initial Public Offering, GM has recorded 15 consecutive quarters of profitability, has earned this year the best overall initial vehicle quality scores of any auto manufacturer, and has re-invested nearly $9 billion and created or retained more than 25,000 jobs at its U.S plants. View full article
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Rumorpile: GM's Current CEO Could Step Down Next Year
William Maley posted an article in General Motors
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 14, 2013 General Motors' current CEO, Dan Akerson, could be stepping down as early as next year, according to a report from Reuters. Sources tells Reuters that Akerson hasn't formally notified GM's board of directors of any plan to step down, but could come to fruition some next year. "I assume at some point he (Akerson) will decide he has done what he has wanted to do and will step down, but no one has a date for that," said a source. Now the board has a succession plan in place if Akerson makes a decision to step down. But according to sources, the board hasn't set a timeframe to begin a search for a new CEO. This will most likely change when Akerson makes a decision. Who are the possible contenders for GM CEO? Well the running favorite is GM's North American President, Mark Reuss. Also in the running are Mary Barra, GM's product development lead; Steve Girsky, GM's vice chairman; and Dan Ammann, GM's CFO. Source: Reuters William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 14, 2013 General Motors' current CEO, Dan Akerson, could be stepping down as early as next year, according to a report from Reuters. Sources tells Reuters that Akerson hasn't formally notified GM's board of directors of any plan to step down, but could come to fruition some next year. "I assume at some point he (Akerson) will decide he has done what he has wanted to do and will step down, but no one has a date for that," said a source. Now the board has a succession plan in place if Akerson makes a decision to step down. But according to sources, the board hasn't set a timeframe to begin a search for a new CEO. This will most likely change when Akerson makes a decision. Who are the possible contenders for GM CEO? Well the running favorite is GM's North American President, Mark Reuss. Also in the running are Mary Barra, GM's product development lead; Steve Girsky, GM's vice chairman; and Dan Ammann, GM's CFO. Source: Reuters William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 22, 2013 Electric automaker Tesla has been a tour-de-force over the past year. Sales of the Model S have exceeded expectations; profits are though the roof; the company has been implementing free charging stations across the U.S. for owners and other things. These success have caught the attention of General Motors. More specially, GM CEO Dan Akerson. According to Bloomberg, Akerson has created a small team to study Tesla and how it could affect the company. “He thinks Tesla could be a big disrupter if we’re not careful. History is littered with big companies that ignored innovation that was coming their way because you didn’t know where you could be disrupted,” said GM vice chairman, Steve Girsky. The formation of the group comes from Akerson's desire to change GM’s culture. He has refocused what is being spent of research and development, making the implementation much faster, and number of items to keep up and keep focus. “We had people with 20 and 30 patents. I was kind of a downer. I said, ‘How many have we commercialized? How many are in our cars?’ None,” Akerson recently told a crowd in Houston. Source: Bloomberg William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 22, 2013 Electric automaker Tesla has been a tour-de-force over the past year. Sales of the Model S have exceeded expectations; profits are though the roof; the company has been implementing free charging stations across the U.S. for owners and other things. These success have caught the attention of General Motors. More specially, GM CEO Dan Akerson. According to Bloomberg, Akerson has created a small team to study Tesla and how it could affect the company. “He thinks Tesla could be a big disrupter if we’re not careful. History is littered with big companies that ignored innovation that was coming their way because you didn’t know where you could be disrupted,” said GM vice chairman, Steve Girsky. The formation of the group comes from Akerson's desire to change GM’s culture. He has refocused what is being spent of research and development, making the implementation much faster, and number of items to keep up and keep focus. “We had people with 20 and 30 patents. I was kind of a downer. I said, ‘How many have we commercialized? How many are in our cars?’ None,” Akerson recently told a crowd in Houston. Source: Bloomberg William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 7, 2013 General Motors CEO Dan Akerson made some ambitious announcements at a energy conference in Houston, TX on Wednesday. For starters, Akerson said General Motors has a goal of reducing vehicle weight by 15% by 2016. This will be accomplished by using lightweight materials like aluminum, carbon fiber, and magnesium. Akerson says the move to lightweight materials could improve fuel economy by more than 6.5%. Akerson also said the company is working on two electric vehicles; one that comes with a 100 Mile range and another vehicle with a 200 Mile range. "There will be breakthroughs in battery technology, they're on the horizon. We're actually developing a car today which is really anathema to the way the auto industry works: We're running a dual play on the technology to see which one will succeed. One will result in" a 100-mile range, "the other will be a 200-mile range," Akerson said. While GM is embracing its green and efficiency side, Akerson reassured everyone that future GM models would still be desirable. “But if you’re worried that we’re going to throw safety, comfort and performance out of the window to get there, you can breathe easy,” Akerson said. Akerson confirmed that the automaker will continue to produce V8 engines, mostly for Camaro, Corvette, and truck customers. Akerson went onto to say that internal combustion engines will be sticking around thanks to advancements such as direct fuel injection, turbocharging, and cylinder deactivation. Akerson also promoted commercial trucks and vans powered by compress natural gas, and called on the Obama Administration to form a commission to evaluate the nation’s energy framework every five years for the next three decades. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 7, 2013 General Motors CEO Dan Akerson made some ambitious announcements at a energy conference in Houston, TX on Wednesday. For starters, Akerson said General Motors has a goal of reducing vehicle weight by 15% by 2016. This will be accomplished by using lightweight materials like aluminum, carbon fiber, and magnesium. Akerson says the move to lightweight materials could improve fuel economy by more than 6.5%. Akerson also said the company is working on two electric vehicles; one that comes with a 100 Mile range and another vehicle with a 200 Mile range. "There will be breakthroughs in battery technology, they're on the horizon. We're actually developing a car today which is really anathema to the way the auto industry works: We're running a dual play on the technology to see which one will succeed. One will result in" a 100-mile range, "the other will be a 200-mile range," Akerson said. While GM is embracing its green and efficiency side, Akerson reassured everyone that future GM models would still be desirable. “But if you’re worried that we’re going to throw safety, comfort and performance out of the window to get there, you can breathe easy,” Akerson said. Akerson confirmed that the automaker will continue to produce V8 engines, mostly for Camaro, Corvette, and truck customers. Akerson went onto to say that internal combustion engines will be sticking around thanks to advancements such as direct fuel injection, turbocharging, and cylinder deactivation. Akerson also promoted commercial trucks and vans powered by compress natural gas, and called on the Obama Administration to form a commission to evaluate the nation’s energy framework every five years for the next three decades. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 4, 2012 "In recent weeks, you have seen that we do not hesitate to act when change is required to make the business stronger." Those words coming out of General Motors CEO Dan Akerson during a conference call with reporters this week. Akerson was referencing the recent outings of Global Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick and Dave Lyon, who was to become VP of design at GM Europe. Akerson went on to say, "from time to time, it will mean parting company with people who are not delivering expected results, or alternatively, who don't meet the highest standards for accountability or integrity." In terms of making the business strong, GM needs some help. Second quarter results saw revenue and net income drop when compared to the same time last year. Chalk the losses to the uneasy economy in Europe and Japanese Automakers coming back strongly after last year's earthquake. Source: The Detroit News William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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GM CEO: Not Afraid To Continue The Executive Shuffle
William Maley posted an article in General Motors
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 4, 2012 "In recent weeks, you have seen that we do not hesitate to act when change is required to make the business stronger." Those words coming out of General Motors CEO Dan Akerson during a conference call with reporters this week. Akerson was referencing the recent outings of Global Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick and Dave Lyon, who was to become VP of design at GM Europe. Akerson went on to say, "from time to time, it will mean parting company with people who are not delivering expected results, or alternatively, who don't meet the highest standards for accountability or integrity." In terms of making the business strong, GM needs some help. Second quarter results saw revenue and net income drop when compared to the same time last year. Chalk the losses to the uneasy economy in Europe and Japanese Automakers coming back strongly after last year's earthquake. Source: The Detroit News William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.
