Whoa! Fritz Henderson out as GM CEO

[Hib Halverson]

GM CEO Fritz Henderson was supposed to give the Motorpress Guild's Keynote for the first day of the LA Auto Show's "Press Days."

I got this news release from the L.A. Auto Show in re: press days which begin tomorrow (Wed).

"Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman Marketing Communications will deliver the Motor Press Guild Keynote Address on Wednesday, December 2 at 8:30 am.

Fritz Henderson has resigned as President and CEO of General Motors."

Yow--sir!

I wonder if the Obama Administration fired him, too or Fritz figured he'd had enough fun after several months of running a Government-funded jobs program for the UAW.

This was on Gabriella Stern's Blog on the Wall Streetd Journal web site about the GM conference call earlier today

"In recent weeks it had become increasingly clear that Fritz Henderson's tenure as GM CEO was in jeopardy as publicly and behind the scenes he and board members seemed to be on opposite pages. Henderson, who joined GM in 1984, became CEO in March; GM emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July. In some ways, Henderson and the board are both relatively new to their current positions. But the board's decision to keep Europe's Opel operation -- even as Henderson had pushed for selling it off - was the most poignant sign that directors and CEO were at odds."

 

[Mike G]

New GM

GM really has to shake off thier lathargic past habits and that's going to take some new blood - blood, of course, that truly cares about the company, it's people and it's products.
There are still some former automotive CEO's out there who could get the job done, Euro-sourced though they might be: Wolgang Reitzle, Wendelin Wiedeking, and others. I'm sure there's plenty of similarly talented and capable professionals in the U.S.
Get a new CEO and GET GOING!

memo to new CEO: The Corvette is sacrosant!

 

[PeterG]

Lost Opportunity

Henderson proved that he is not worthy of the top position at GM.

He failed to use his speech at the L.A. Auto Show to identify the dangers and destructive forces now at work in the USA.

Henderson could have stood as an American who understands American exceptionalism to describe what has been going on at the top of GM including the policy decision process since the fascist BO fired GM's last unworthy CEO, Wagonner.

Henderson could have identified in just a few minutes the dangers that he has witnessed first hand. He should have used this speaking opportunity to briefly identify and describe the impacts of socialism, fascism, and how a government-funded jobs program for the UAW when operated under the guise of the New GM will continue to destroy the USA.

 

[keebs]

I couln't have said it better myself!

Henderson proved that he is not worthy of the top position at GM.

He failed to take use his speech at the L.A. Auto Show to identify the dangers and destructive forces now at work in the USA.

Henderson could have stood as an American who understands American exceptionalism to describe what has been going on at the top of GM including the policy decision process since the fascist BO fired GM's last unworthy CEO, Wagonner.

Henderson could have identified in just a few minutes the dangers that he has witnessed first hand. He should have used this speaking opportunity to briefly identify and describe the impacts of socialism, fascism, and how a government-funded jobs program for the UAW when operated under the guise of the New GM will continue to destroy the USA.

 

[killain]

GM CEO Fritz Henderson was supposed to give the Motorpress Guild's Keynote for the first day of the LA Auto Show's "Press Days."

I got this news release from the L.A. Auto Show in re: press days which begin tomorrow (Wed).

"Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman Marketing Communications will deliver the Motor Press Guild Keynote Address on Wednesday, December 2 at 8:30 am.

Fritz Henderson has resigned as President and CEO of General Motors."

Yow--sir!

I wonder if the Obama Administration fired him, too or Fritz figured he'd had enough fun after several months of running a Government-funded jobs program for the UAW.

This was on Gabriella Stern's Blog on the Wall Streetd Journal web site about the GM conference call earlier today

"In recent weeks it had become increasingly clear that Fritz Henderson's tenure as GM CEO was in jeopardy as publicly and behind the scenes he and board members seemed to be on opposite pages. Henderson, who joined GM in 1984, became CEO in March; GM emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July. In some ways, Henderson and the board are both relatively new to their current positions. But the board's decision to keep Europe's Opel operation -- even as Henderson had pushed for selling it off - was the most poignant sign that directors and CEO were at odds."

All things considered, I now really fear for the future Corvettes, if there are any. And I'm serious, because the bumbling managers and accountants left at GM might very well interpret 'Progress' and cutting off more brands/modelsas the way to go and that would surely mean that the Corvette is gone by 2012. But the company is in 'free-fall' right now. The board doesn't know what it wants, and the Government/UAW jobs program is going to pile the last of the dirt on General Motors grave. So I'm not sure we as Americans have enough money to prop up the failing company longer. Of course the UAW owns 17.5 % of GM and that could very well be 17.5% of nothing in very short order. Thank you Mr. Gettlefinger ! I wonder if Ford is the next target for the UAW ?

No matter what, and oddly, I'm seeing less and less corvettes in stock at both the dealership where I take my corvette for service, but also at a lot of the remaining Chevy stores that are within 50 miles of Philadelphia. I don't know if that is a regional thing or if the entire country has a shortage of corvette stock ? But I have a hard time being optimistic at this point. ;help

 

[PeterG]

Change

GM survived nearly 100 years because it had management like William Durant and engineers like Zora.

These men operated according to intrinsic American character principles. They were successful in building GM and maintaining its existence through difficult times.

Zora set standards that, for decades right up to and including today, GM engineers work with integrity as part of the GM team to emulate and surpass.

Durant was an American man of a lost breed. His type is nearly extinct in today's America. Henderson was not worthy of GM's leadership position. He demonstrated his character weakness when he, as Waggoner, failed to stand up to the socialist BO. Each had benefited well from GM. Each failed to defend their benefactor when attacked. Each dissolved away without even a whimper.

The declining market for Corvettes is consistent with the declining American man. The demise of our Corvette is consistent with our lost courage, guts, and ability to stand up for what is right and what is American. American men used to know how to live with integrity and character because what is American is often right and just.

Corvette continues to lead the world in technology and performance. Will BO oversee turning the Corvette into an emasculated green machine?

America continues to lead the world in freedom, justice, and opportunity. Will Americans stand up or dissolve away?

 

[killain]

GM survived nearly 100 years because it had management like William Durant and engineers like Zora.

These men operated according to intrinsic American character principles. They were successful in building GM and maintaining its existence through difficult times. Durant needed engineers with vision and Zora Arkus Duntov stepped in to revolutionize the whole company. Harley Earl took control of design and for the next few years, GM was stood as a supreme giant of manufacturing excellant cars that everyone wanted, period. Right up till the sevenities, then came union strikes, government intrusion and soon all those who once saw a proud company, now saw the slicing and dicing
and the company started to make structural dismemberment of the financing situation. The once powerful became a victin needing a blood transfusion, and quickly.

Zora set standards that, for decades right up to and including today, GM engineers work with integrity as part of the GM team to emulate and surpass. But in the background, the knifes were being sharpened.

Durant was an American man of a lost breed. His type is nearly extinct in today's America. Henderson was not worthy of GM's leadership position. He demonstrated his character weakness when he, as Waggoner, failed to stand up to the socialist BO. Each had benefited well from GM. Each failed to defend their benefactor when attacked. Each dissolved away without even a whimper.

The declining market for Corvettes is consistent with the declining American man. The demise of our Corvette is consistent with our lost courage, guts, and ability to stand up for what is right and what is American. American men used to know how to live with integrity and character because what is American is often right and just.

Corvette continues to lead the world in technology and performance. Will BO oversee turning the Corvette into an emasculated green machine?

America continues to lead the world in freedom, justice, and opportunity. Will Americans stand up or dissolve away?

PeterG, you put it best and complete. There's a story about GM and William Durant that I will never forget, in 1910 or 1913, a small automobile company was struggling, the owner was David Buick. He was a pretty good engineer, but he was absolutely impossible to work for. always demanding changes at the last time, then heading out into the shop to ridicule the workers for being so slooppy and careless. moral sank. The company soon was broke and over time went bankrupt several times. Finally William Durant met with Mr. Buick, Durants 'new' would come in and save Buick lock, stock and barrel. . .

On one condition: David Buick leave the building and never darken the doorway again. Mr. Buick had no choice, lose Buick altogether, or sell. He sold. He was always a sucker for any get rich scheme, despite being a very bright engineer, but a lose as a manager. Sadly, David buick wound up years later so broke and poor he couldn't put a down payment on a down payment on one of the cars that had his name emblazoned across it's grill. And there s the story of buick. but it was just the launching pad for a small company to become a giant.

It's is really sad to have witnessed the wholesale slaughter and dismemberment of this once great company, The board soon elected the jackals to be the navigators of the company, sales were through the roof so they all sort of started dipping into the pot of gold. first the executives starting demanding higher salaries and stock benefits that were repulsive, then the UAW came to be, and upon seeing a cash cow, jumped right in. Fast-forward to the 80's and things started coming unglued. Workers who decided they weren't gettting a fair deal starting fires in the cars on the assembly line and things came to a stop to remove the burning auto. Quality was all but extinct. Some of the cars actually fell apart while being loaded for shipping to dealerships ?

And now today, the company was effectively as of December 31, 2008 had zero dollars in its operating acounts. The company was still standing, but only the shadow could be seen. So here in 2009 we've witnessed the rape and pillage and looting of any funds inholding by General motors. What a country, what a company !