Roger Smith, Former GM Chairman, Dies.

[KappaMan]

http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited...fx4391417.html

Former GM Chairman, CEO Roger B. Smith dies at 82


11.30.07, 11:51 AM ET

NEW YORK (Thomson Financial) - Former General Motors Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Roger B. Smith died at 82 years old, the company said Friday.

He died in the Detroit area after an unspecified brief illness, GM said.

Smith led GM from 1981 to 1990, and was known for reorganizing the company to compete with foreign automakers, including investing in technological automation and robotics on the assembly line. He formed several strategic joint ventures with Japanese and Korean automakers, like the establishment of the Saturn division.

His most infamous decision is most likely his attempt in 1984 to partially eliminate the autonomy between GM's divisions - Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac - which was established in the 1920s. Smith recombined the company into two groups: Chevrolet Pontiac Canada to build small cars; and Buick Oldsmobile Cadillac to build large cars.

The reorganization, however, didn't really work as intended and added costs as the newly-formed groups added management and marketing and engineering staff that sometimes duplicated staff in other divisions.

Ten years later, the 1984 reorganization was undone and all car groups were combined into one division.

Smith also was the subject of Michael Moore's documentary, 'Roger & Me', in which Moore criticized Smith for his decision to close several auto plants in the filmmaker's hometown of Flint, Mich., costing 30,000 people their jobs.

Smith retired on July 31, 1990.

Smith is generally credited with the creation of the Saturn brand.

[ChgoBlues]

Thanks for the info. He will be missed greatly by many. He was such a force in his vision with Saturn.