General Motors has promoted Kurt Ritter to the new post of general manager of Buick, Pontiac and GMC. It will merge US dealerships for the three brands.
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The move stems partly from GM’s decision two years ago to gradually phase out its Oldsmobile division. Some Oldsmobile vehicles are being replaced with Buick models. For instance, the new Buick Rainier sport utility vehicle and a new Buick minivan will replace the Oldsmobile Bravada SUV and the Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan.
Ritter, 53, has been general manager of Chevrolet and it will be his job to ensure that Buick, Pontiac and GMC vehicle line-ups don’t overlap and that dealerships have a common look and coordinated advertising, spokeswoman Julie Hamp said in remarks reported by Bloomberg.
GM last year sold 1.51 million Buick, Pontiac and GMC vehicles, up 1.1 percent from 2001. Its total sales last year fell 0.9 percent to 4.86 million.
Ritter replaces Buick’s current boss, Roger Adams, who becomes general manager of customer relations in North America. Lynn Myers, 60, the head of Pontiac-GMC, will keep that job and report to Ritter.
Brent Dewar, 47, general manager of the Northeast region, will replace Ritter at Chevrolet.
