GM to Retain LaNeve in Sales Role

General Motors Co. has decided to retain Mark LaNeve, vice president-sales, service and marketing for GM North America, in a reduced capacity.

LaNeve, whose future was cast into doubt when GM emerged from bankruptcy July 10, no longer will be responsible for marketing, with that aspect of his former job now going to Bob Lutz, recently named vice chairman responsible for all creative elements of products and customer relationships.

A leaked internal document from LaNeve to his staff says his new position will be chief of sales and service. GM spokesman Pete Ternes confirms the existence of the memo but says an official title has yet to be bestowed on LaNeve.

CEO Fritz Henderson “gave (LaNeve) permission to send that out, although the organization is still forming,” Ternes tells Ward’s. “So we don’t have an official title of the job.”

During a media conference to announce GM’s emergence from bankruptcy, Henderson said “the North American structure is going away, and there are a lot of (personnel) moves that have to be dealt with in the short term. Ternes says LaNeve will retain his sales and service responsibilities, noting it harkens back to a former GM personnel structure.

“In the past, you may remember Mike Jackson was (head of) marketing, and Mark (head of) sales, and we’ve had other iterations of split responsibilities in sales and marketing,” he says, “but there are still details to be worked out.”

[email protected]