Automotive News - March 9, 2009 - (Page 7) FEBRUARY 9, 2009 • 7 Report: Analyst Girsky is up for federal post Steve Girsky, a former Wall Street analyst and General Motors adviser, is a leading candidate to help oversee federal loans to automakers, The Detroit News said last week. The Obama Girsky: Contender administration for car czar team is considering Girsky for second-in-command on the auto team or for a post on the restructuring board for GM and Chrysler LLC, the paper said, citing unidentified sources. Steven Rattner, of New York equity firm Quadrangle Group, is a leading candidate to be the so-called auto czar, The News reported. Girsky formerly was a senior auto analyst with Morgan Stanley. He also counseled GM CEO Rick Wagoner for about a year through mid-2006. President Barack Obama is compiling a team of advisers to oversee the restructuring mandated when GM and Chrysler were pledged $17.4 billion in loans by President George W. Bush. The automakers have received $13.4 billion and must justify the loans with restructuring plans to be submitted Feb. 17. Akin out as Suzuki U.S. sales boss Alysha Webb awebb@crain.com Sell more cars now! Generate your own non-shared e-leads! INCREASE YOUR PROFITS TODAY! LOS ANGELES — The shakeup at struggling American Suzuki Motor Corp. resumed last week with the sudden departure of sales boss Gary Akin. His duties will be assumed by Koichi Suzuki, 45, vice president in charge of automotive operations. Koichi Suzuki returned to American Suzuki from Japan last month. Akin, 50, was named vice president of sales in March 2007. He joined Suzuki from Volkswagen of America, where he headed Western region operations. Koichi Suzuki previously headed Gary Akin was American Suzuki sales chief for nearly two years. the automotive division in the United States through April 2007. Akin was appointed by Koichi Suzuki. Suzuki has been through a rough patch in this country. Sales plunged 48.7 percent last month compared with January 2008, underperforming the overall market. Last summer, Rick Suzuki, head of American Suzuki for a decade, was replaced by Kevin Saito, who had been deputy executive general manager of global marketing for Suzuki Motor Corp. in Japan. Rick Suzuki said earlier in the year he would leave because of lagging sales and operating losses. Rick Suzuki is the grandson of Suzuki Motor Co. founder Michio Suzuki. Koichi Suzuki is no relation. Last year Suzuki’s U.S. sales dipped 16.7 percent to 84,865 vehicles. Industrywide sales fell 18.0 percent, but as a small-car specialist, Suzuki missed out on the hot market for fuel-efficient vehicles last summer. c Earn up to 650% return on your investment www.vehicleupgrade.info ~ Access code: advice 800-421-4550 www.clickhereforadvice.com Bchadvice@aol.com GM’s No.2 PR exec leaves DETROIT — Tony Cervone, a top spokesman for General Motors as it battled bankruptcy rumors and won U.S. rescue loans, is leaving the automaker. Cervone, 46, will join UAL Corp., Cervone: Flying parent of United the friendly skies Airlines, as chief communications officer and senior vice president, United said. As GM’s vice president of global strategy and integration, Cervone was second-in-command for GM’s global public relations and a candidate to replace PR chief Steve Harris. There was no immediate word on Cervone’s successor at GM. Industry experts on SAE menu DETROIT — Experts will weigh in on the auto industry during the Detroit Section of SAE International’s state of the industry meeting Feb. 17 in suburban Detroit. The panelists will be Peter Brown, editorial director of Automotive News; Dave Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research; Neil De Koker, CEO of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association; and John McElroy, host of “Autoline Detroit” and “Autoline Daily.” Tom Ryan, 2008 SAE International president, will be the moderator. Social hour is at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 and the panel discussion at 7:30 at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Mich. Tickets ($40 for SAE members, $55 for nonmembers and $15 for SAE student members) are available from the SAE Detroit Section office, 248324-4445, or sae-detroit.org. © 2009 Autonet Mobile, Inc. http://www.clickhereforadvice.com http://www.vehicleupgrade.info http://www.clickhereforadvice.com http://autonews.com http://www.sae-detroit.org
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