Automotive News - March 24, 2008 - (Page 42)

42 • MARCH 24, 2008 Outsider Elmer Johnson shook up GM Bernadine Williams bwilliams@autonews.com Most of Elmer Johnson’s career was spent as a corporate-governance attorney, but in Detroit the former General Motors executive vice president will be remembered for helping shake up GM and the industry in the mid-1980s. Johnson died Feb. 19 in Arizona after a long battle with cancer. He was 75. With no hands-on automotive experience, Johnson was the first outsider in GM history to be considered for a chairmanship. He joined GM in 1983 as general counsel and was a director of the company during his five-year tenure. His responsibilities grew to include labor relations, sales and marketing. “He was a remarkable person and brought his keen insight and intellect to many innovative situations in which the corporation was involved,” GM CEO Rick Wagoner said in a statement. Johnson was hired by then GM Chairman Roger Smith to give the automaker an overhaul. The ex-managing partner of Chicago law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLC hit the ground running, creating stringent employee evaluation systems and implementing merit-based raises as opposed to raises determined by the rise or fall of inflation, according to the June 1988 issue of The American Lawyer. The story in the legal trade publication was titled “Can a Kirkland partner make good running General Motors?” Johnson also played a role in eliminating 36,000 white-collar GM jobs, aiming for a goal of cutting jobs 25 percent by the early 1990s. He told Automotive News at the time, “We have to look at ourselves and ask original thoughts: Does this person or does this function add value to the operation.” Taking Socrates’ advice, he said, “An unexamined corporation is not worth perpetuating — an unexamined life is not worth living.” Johnson assisted GM in acquiring EDS in 1984 and Hughes Aircraft in 1985. He also created the strategy for the $750 million buyout of billionaire Ross Perot’s GM stake in 1986. Johnson left GM in 1988 because of conflicting ideas with Smith. According to press reports at the time, Johnson, “a frustrated critic” of the manufacturer, resigned “because of its resistance to change.” Johnson spent most of his career at Kirkland & Ellis, which he joined in 1956. He was managing director for a total of 20 years and left the firm in 1999. Since 2002, he had been a partner at Chicago law firm Jenner & Block LLP. c Crain’s Chicago Business contributed to this report Chicago lawyer Elmer Johnson, shown here in 1987, was positioned to lead GM in the late 1980s. Importer Yanase was Hall of Fame member Jiro Yanase, whose name was synonymous with imported cars in Japan for more than half a century, died Feb. 13 at a Tokyo hospital of pneumonia. He was 91. Yanase & Co. was an importer, distributor and dealer. At various times it sold Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Saturn, Opel, Saab, Vauxhall, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Fiat and Studebaker cars. As recently as 1996, it handled one out of every four imported cars in Japan, excluding socalled reimports from Japanese plants in the United States. His father founded the company in 1915. It got its big break importing GM trucks to rebuild Tokyo after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Yanase joined the company in 1939 and became president in May 1945, in time to rebuild connections with foreign automakers after World War II. In 2004, he became the first and so far only overseas retailer inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. The citation read in part: “Jiro Yanase has provided American and European manufacturers the initial entrance — and the most successful means of selling cars — to the Japanese market.” He was chairman of the Japan Automobile Importers Association and predecessor Import Car Association for all but eight years from 1962 to 2000. — James B. Treece obituaries Jim Ryan MINOT, N.D. — Jim Ryan, a former chairman of the Automobile Dealers Association of North Dakota, died here Feb. 24 at age 88. Ryan had owned Ryan Chevrolet Inc. here since 1973. His daughter, Kathy Gaddie, now is dealer operator. John Vass DETROIT — A former Detroit assistant zone manager for Chevrolet, John Vass, died here Feb. 22 at age 81. He began working for Chevrolet as a parts and accessories representative in Saginaw, Mich., in 1950. Vass retired in 1982. http://autonews.com/seminar

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - March 24, 2008

Ford lists 6 to succeed Mulally GM pushes luxury superstores Industry straps in for rough ride Bob Irvin is a worthy addition to Hall of Fame Debate at Scion: How to grow Ford moves executives in Asia to new jobs CEO of lanelogic: We're still here Kia's N.Y. duo Chrysler's exec trio: Reports of friction mostly fiction Where others see gloom, Honda chief sees boom in U.S. Fukui: Nickel battery is best bet for hybrid Beijing conference explores key issues in China market Planworks keeps its role as buyer for GM ads Lincoln: MKS will make up for brand's slow start in '08 Deal's no big deal: Styling top reason to buy GM Penske's Smart start: He'd like 15,000 more Dodge's pitch for Challenger: A halo that you can afford Chrysler plans 'We listen' ads You go, Bob With zest, activist Ditlow remains on lemon patrol Autos did the job after 9/11; don't bet on that now Chinese cars? Dealer beware Solar power is the only answer Where will we get power for the Volt? Want higher CAFE? First, do this In N. California, hybrids are hot Detroit 3 can learn from the Marlboro Man The Prius is a phenomenon Wait 3 years, then judge Ford How many Jeeps will India buy? Lithia looks into improper sales reports at dealerships AutoNation's lead shrinks as largest U.S. dealer group Honda ad agency creates unit to build Acura brand Study: Consistent theme in auto ads builds viewer recall Big-truck sales continue slide in Feb. -- off 27.1% MazdaSpeed revs up racing accessory sales Calif. company eyes electric charging stations for Volt, Vue Indictment: Bribe scheme cost GM $83.3 million The greening of Toyota dealerships 6 more finalists in race for PACE recognition Tenneco expands Japanese work, seeks more Bosch buys diagnostic equipment firm in China JV will design vehicle platforms Citation moves headquarters NxtGen tests emissions system VW stake may help Porsche on fuel economy rules Chrysler's Project Genesis wins over Ore. dealer Germany, new EU members send up European sales Saturn will choose store system soon VW thinks modular for flexibility at auto plants Automakers eager as axles turn high-tech Talking drivetrains with American Axle Dollar halts U.S. retail sales of Audi Q7 hybrid Hyundai: Genesis Coupe offers more go for dough Maxima's target: Luxury Euro makes Pontiac adds 3 sporty variants Outsider Elmer Johnson shook up GM Importer Yanase was Hall of Fame member Obituaries Redesigned TSX has many Acura firsts Dealers Certified sales up 7.5% in Feb.; Audi leads the way eBay's new Web site has new look, more features Big pickups and SUVs lead plunge in used-vehicle prices Ex-Reynolds CEO O'Neill joins J.D. Power Auto Hall of Fame will induct 8 Liberatore looks beyond Daimler Molina gets the top job at GMAC F&I pioneer Pat Ryan to retire from Aon Study: Hydrogen research worth the cost Gulf States trial halted As yuan rises, so do prices of Chinese parts Personnel exec Laymon: Ford still seeking outside talent GE gives supplier credit Dana CEO wants Asian growth Tesla launches production Todt steps down as Ferrari CEO Union pursues Toyota effort Chrysler offers spiffs for military Land Rover ads focus on heritage Mark Rechtin Fresh heir: To turn green, must BMW create brand? GM ponders mini-muscle Camaro New Ford ads coming in April With a spiffier image, Lincoln would rock abroad Rival says Nardelli's OK Ford hails its cab, but mpg is an issue

Automotive News - March 24, 2008

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