Section: Hirings/Firings/Personnel Moves
Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 4th, 2008 1:00 PM
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Recent Ford employee David Sneath from Livonia, Michigan had a dream come true on Tuesday. Sneath was able to quit his job at a Ford parts warehouse after 34-years of service with the Blue Oval, because he picked the winning numbers to the $136,000,000 Mega Millions lottery jackpot.
Not even the most loyal Ford employee could fault Sneath for quitting his job then and there, but the lottery winner wasn’t content to merely leave the automaker. The rather jaded former employee told reporters gathered at the lottery office that he had no plans to buy a Ford ever again. “I worked for Ford Motor Co.,” said Sneath, “I won’t be buying a Ford product.”
Sneath didn’t elaborate as to whether or not his Ford boycott stemmed from a lack of respect for the product line, or a pent up resentment for his former company, but it certainly wasn’t a ringing endorsement in either case. At least he didn’t burn down the building.
At around 4:00 p.m. the Associated Press corrected the David Sneath quote critical to this story to read, “I worked for Ford Motor Company. I won’t be buying a foreign product.” Thanks to all those who tipped in.
+ Jalopnik: 34-Year FoMoCo Vet Wins Lottery, Promptly Disses Dearborn’s Products
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Written By: Carrie Roca
April 2nd, 2008 2:00 PM
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After less than a year at the design helm of Alfa Romeo, a company whose long anticipated return to the United States is now imminent, the multinational Frank Stephenson is stepping down.
The forty-eight-year-old designer, who was born in Morocco and educated at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, made his mark on the automotive world as the designer of several iconic vehicles including the Mini Cooper. He is responsible for the BMW X5, the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, and the Maserati Quattroporte. Most recently Stephenson worked on Alfa Romeo’s 8C Competizione and Mi.To.
Stephenson, who reported to Lorenzo Ramaciotti, head of Style for Fiat Group Automobiles and Maserati, was working on turning the 500 into a production model when he said bade arrivederci to Torino.
No reason was given for his departure. Stephenson will be replaced by forty-year-old Austrian Christopher Reitz.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 1st, 2008 12:00 PM
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Despite major pressure after yesterday’s media blitz surrounding the Max Mosley sex scandal, Mosley seems to have no intention of stepping down from his position as FIA president.
Sources close to Mosley have confirmed that the president plans to continue on in his current position, while continuing to discuss further legal action against British tabloid News of the World, which broke the story. Mosley is considering changing his plans for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix however, after being scheduled to meet with the Bahraini Royal Family before attending the race.
(Click through the jump to read on.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 27th, 2008 10:00 AM
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Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will soon be making a change at the top end of its design team, replacing current head man Peter Pfeiffer (pictured) when he enters retirement sometime around the middle of this year.
Pfeiffer will be followed up by Gordon Wagener, who currently runs the Mercedes design studios in California and Japan. The 39-year-old Wagener is also presently responsible for Mercedes’ strategic advanced design program.
Set to turn 65 this year, Pfeiffer has worked at Mercedes-Benz since 1968, and has served as design chief for the company since 1999.
+ Automotive News: Mercedes gets new design chief (subscription required)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 26th, 2008 8:00 AM
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Just two months after being picked to head a critical Chrysler product development team, vice president and engineering chief Mike Donoughe has resigned his post.
Donoughe had been chosen to lead Chrysler’s secret Project D, a development program for the all-important new global mid-size car platform, which will replace the Sebring and Dodge Avenger. The 49-year-old engineer had been seen as one of the best and brightest the automaker had in its roster, spending time working on both front and rear-drive vehicles, as well as working for two-years in Germany with former company partners Mercedes-Benz.
While Chrysler’s prepared statement claimed that there was no acrimony behind Donoughe’s quick departure, The Wall Street Journal reported the engineer had clashed with senior management.
Mark Chernoby has been tapped to replace Donoughe as vice president and chief engineer for Chrysler’s mid-size product team.
+ Automotive News: Key Chrysler product developer Donoughe quits (subscription required)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 24th, 2008 8:00 AM
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Though Alan Mulally is still the king of the castle when it comes to all things Blue Oval, Ford Motor Company has developed a short list of potential replacements for the CEO.
While Ford expects that the 63-year-old Mulally will be around to lead them into the early part of the next decade, the company is said to maintain an updated internal list of CEO candidates for when the occasion of succession does arise. Ford personnel chief Joe Laymon, the self-styled “owner” of Ford’s succession planning process, has said that the list of candidates numbers six.
(Click through the jump to read on.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 18th, 2008 5:30 PM
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Jean Todt has stepped down from his position as the CEO of Ferrari today, making the official announcement at the conclusion of the automaker’s shareholders’ meeting.
First hired by Ferrari in 1993 to head up the Formula One racing team, Todt was elevated to the position of general manager in 2003, followed by a promotion to company CEO in 2006. Amedeo Felisa, who followed of Todt as Ferrari’s general manager, will follow the same pattern by taking over the CEO role. Todt will stay on with the Italian automaker in limited duty, including representing the F1 team on the FIA World Council.
Shareholders at today’s meeting also reaffirmed Luca di Montezemolo as company president, and Piero Ferrari as vice president. Follow the jump for Ferrari’s full press release.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 14th, 2008 12:00 PM
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Last year Hyundai Motors chief executive, Chung Mong-koo (pictured), was given a suspended three-year jail sentence after being convicted of fraud in South Korea. Despite this rather serious black mark, Hyundai shareholders supported Chung’s reinstatement to his former position at a meeting today.
Most shareholders heartily endorsed their former chief (who is also the eldest surviving son of company founder Chung Ju-young) though there has yet to be an official vote on the matter. They claim that in the current rough market conditions, Hyundai is in need of a strong and experienced leader most of all.
“Hyundai is facing risks including higher prices of oil and raw materials, a slowing global economy, checks from bigger rivals of Europe and Japan,” said the renewed Chung.
Chung’s arrival was seen as a cause of concern for officials from the National Pension Service however, a group that holds a 4.56 percent stake in Hyundai. Noting his recent legal troubles, pension officials say that they plan to vote against the move.
+ Automotive News: Shareholders re-elect convicted Hyundai boss (subscription required)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 10th, 2008 2:30 PM
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Seems like sunny California is becoming less and less attractive to automakers these days, as Volvo has announced the relocation of its U.S. headquarters.
Volvo North America has revealed that it will be moving its corporate HQ from Irvine, California, to join its customer service and other operations in Rockleigh, New Jersey. The automaker has said that the move will streamline operations by having “everyone together in one location,” as well as reducing the time difference between the headquarters in the U.S. and Sweden.
Volvo North America has been headquartered in California since 2001, when it moved from Goteborg, Sweden. The company has said that the change will affect fewer than 80 (soon to be chilly) employees.
(Volvo may need all hands on deck when its hot new XC60 CUV arrives stateside. Check it out in our gallery below.)
+ International Herald Tribune: Volvo relocating U.S. headquarters from Southern California to New Jersey
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 9th, 2008 1:00 PM
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Chrysler has announced that it will be closing its California-based Pacifica Advanced Product Design Center in Carlsbad, consolidating all future design work to the company’s Auburn Hills, Michigan corporate headquarters.
The Pacifica studio was responsible for such notable recent vehicles as the 300 sedan, the Dodge Challenger, and of course the Pacifica CUV. Chrysler will shut down the studio, which has been in operation since the late 1980’s, as a further part of its plan to control costs and reduce redundant operations within the company.
Chrysler said in a statement that the move was designed to, “help Chrysler become a more globally focused manufacturer,” going on to say that the consolidation will help the company meet its long-term goals. No word has been yet given on the number of employees who would be displaced or otherwise affected by the changes.
(Click through the jump to read Chrysler’s official press release.)
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
March 7th, 2008 7:30 AM
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Chrysler beefed-up security at its Belvidere, Ill. plant yesterday after rumors of vandalism and violence circled through the plant after Chrysler announced it would eliminate the plant’s third shift.
“We’re aware of rumors of potentially threatening or disruptive behavior,” said Chrysler spokesman Michele Tinson. “We do have a police presence there in order to offset any negative behavior.”
(More details after the jump)
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Written By: Matt Davis
March 3rd, 2008 11:13 AM
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Well we had just rolled into Geneva and thrown our bags on the floor when Porsche called us direct in our room. (How did they know we were in the Hotel Warwick anyway?? Creeeeepy.)
About one hour before the writing of this blog post, the entire supervisory board of Volkswagen Group approved the increase from the current 31 percent up to 51 percent of Porsche’s part of all Volkswagen Group assets. It works out to about 20 billion more dollars changing accounts and all of the other accountant magic that takes place at mighty times like these.
Porsche chairman Wendelin Wiedeking had mainly to get over the hurdle of the German workers union on the supervisory board vote, as factory labor fears for the dreaded efficiency-related changes to VW’s current way of doing business. It’s all in the game of hunting down Toyota to be worldwide production leader by 2015 or so.
So, our Porsche source tells us, neither Wiedeking nor other key board players will be present at the Porsche dinner tomorrow night. Looks like it’s back to Mickey D’s.
They add that the whole process of rearranging the big corporate switcheroo “could take a few months at least”.
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