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Former VP Of Cadillac Strategic Development Now Settling In At Ford Motor Company

When Don Butler, former vice president of global strategic development at Cadillac, made the decision to step down from his position in August of last year, we were a little surprised. Butler, who had been with the company for almost 30 years, cited his resignation as a “personal decision”, and it wasn’t clear where (or whether) Butler would find future employment, until now.

That’s because Butler, 50, has been named Executive Director of Connected Vehicles and Services, effective immediately.

“Not only does Don understand the connected car landscape, but probably just as important, he understands customer expectations”, said Raj Nair, Ford global product development chief, in a statement. “Having a leader with technology experience both inside and outside the industry is a rare combination — we’re excited to have Don join our team.”

Butler will be responsible for Ford’s global connectivity strategy, and his organization will work closely with Ford’s newly-created Global Digital Marketing group.

Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. Why should any GM supporter give a dam what this guy is doing? Once you leave the GM family you don’t exist anymore! This guy is a scum bag! I hope he fails to holy hell!

    Your either with us or your against us! Which side are you on?

    Reply
    1. Again, why do you see this as tribal warfare? That’s the kind of mentality of people from the bronze age; a mentality were you kill people for having a difference opinion or who change their mind.

      Reply
  2. Don is not a scumbag. One of the nicest and best execs GM had.

    There is so much movement in the ranks, both exec and others, it is amazing. Constantly swapping folks back and forth from company to company.

    I can only surmise that he left GM because he saw no more upward movement in his position. That is the #1 reason execs leave GM for other pastures. And 5 years from now he may be back as the big boss of marketing. The bosses above him also change and changes the landscape for job availability.

    Reply
  3. Seems to be a regular thing for top execs to move around from one company to another. I guess they follow the money. Former cummins CEO moves to GM, former bmw exec moves to Cadillac, former Cadillac exec moves to ford, etc. Who cares about any of em, really?

    Reply
  4. Not as much the money but more the possibility for advancement. I can name a bunch of GM execs who hit a brick wall for one reason or another and left for a higher job somewhere else.

    Reply
  5. I agree there’s only so much room at the top and I don’t blame anyone for chasing a better position or the higher pay that usually goes with it. It’s common in all big companies, not just the automotive world.

    Reply
  6. They most important word is had!

    See if GM would refuse to hire these traitors back once they leave on their own!

    I understand if a company has layoffs and a worker is forced to leave but if that worker leaves for what they think is greener field’s then I say fuck them and never let them come back!

    If this happened you would see more people being loyal to their company!

    Like I said scum bag!

    Reply
  7. Brian, why do you end EVERY sentence with an exclamation point? Are you really that angry? As long as the execs at GM are doing the right thing for the company, making it profitable, who cares where they came from or where they might end up? There no such thing as loyalty as you define it in the business world.

    I worked at a GM dealer for 10 years as a mechanic. The pay was nowhere close to matching what was expected of us. When we asked for a raise we were told the dealership couldn’t afford it, meanwhile the salesmen out front we’re making a killing. Over the course of about three years, all the JPs in that shop left for better higher paying jobs. Loyalty goes both ways.

    Reply
  8. I use a exclamation point cuz I want to so stop worrying about it!

    If you leave then you should not be able to come back!

    Reply
    1. I AGREE! WE MUST KILL HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND HIS OFFSPRING! WE MIST ERASE HIM FROM EXISTENCE! FOR WE ARE GM’S CHOSEN DRIVERS! GM AKBAR!

      ~~~

      Brian, I know you don’t buy into religion, but surely you see the parallels between religious extremists and your attitudes about GM. They’re uncanny.

      Unfortunately for you, these attitudes paint you as being unstable, which is unfair because I don’t believe you are as rabid and fanatical about your interest in GM as you depict on GMA.

      Reply
  9. He did alot for gm, maybe he can help with the rebadged lincoln ltz, which is a laugh and can’t compete .

    Reply
  10. You mean the MKZ. A car that many Lincoln fans are foolishly eager to point out “is hot on the tails of the ATS” despite the fact that the MKZ and ATS aren’t even in the same segment.

    Remind them about the CTS and MKZ some time, and that this isn’t a sales race, but a public perception race. You don’t have to remind them who is leading that race. 😉

    Reply
  11. I’ve only owned GM cars and trucks and in my opinion there is only one car company and that is GM!

    You can have a difference of opinion but once you choose to leave the company your not a GM employee anymore there for you have fallen out of graces with me! I don’t care what you have done for GM once you choose to take your abilities to the enemy you are no longer helping GM be the best car company and that makes me not like you!

    They probably threw him a going away party with makes me sick to think of!

    Reply
    1. Why don’t you write a book about your new religion, prophet ritter?

      Reply
  12. Maybe he should offer to work at GM for free? Devote his life to cleaning Mary Barra’s bathroom.
    Brain is a groupie/team radical. I’ve seen this at football games among people looking to belong.

    Reply
  13. To the website administrator you allow a guy to say these things about me but in your eyes I’m the bad guy on this website! Please explain!

    So Stephen explain this to me, you think I’m the weird one? I leave comments of support for GM on a GM website and I’m the odd one of the bunch?

    Looks to me I should be the norm, a GM site filled with pro GM people leaving comments that praise or support GM!

    But that’s not what you get here, you have people taking time out of their day to complain about GM as if they hate GM! Which makes me ask if you don’t like what GM is doing then why are you spending time on this site?

    Reply
  14. I just think you look at GM like religion, and take things a bit to seriously without fully understand the industry.
    Also, you contradict yourself by hating other brands unless GM partners up, sells a rebadged like as has happened with Toyota & Isuzu in the past, and then you love it.
    You pick fights for the fun of up and diminish the tone of serious conversations.
    Part of liking a brand is pointing out its weaknesses. Being a blind follower (groupie) is lame as is wishing harm to former GM workers.
    GM is a company, NOT a cause.

    Reply
  15. What part of your either with us or against us?

    Why would a fan of GM like car or trucks from another brand unless GM had some involvement with that project?

    I lose respect for people when go over their place and they have 3 or 4 different cars from different car companies!

    It’s really sad if you ask me! It’s like seeing a guy that has a cowboy’s hat on with a redskins shirt on and colts jacket on!

    If a guy did that he would have zero respect! So why are cars any different?

    Please explain?

    Reply
  16. Its okay to like as many car or sports teams as you want.
    Why would you loose respect for someone with varied tastes or the ability to appreciate the many good high quality products that the world’s automakets have to offer?
    This isn’t church; you don’t pledge allegiance to any corporate or sport franchise flag
    Why would you lose respect for for someone owning a BMW, Caddy and Benz: they are all great cars! Choosing a favorite.car company (or sports team) is not like joining a club and it is good to respect a job well done regardless of who does it.

    Reply
  17. Really you think it’s okay the be a fan of multiple NFL teams at the same?

    Are you kidding me?

    Any person who is a fan of more than one NFL team has zero respect, don’t believe me go ask a sports fan!

    So choosing cars should be the same way!

    Reply
  18. I think following a sport is no different then picking a auto manufacturer!

    Loyalty is a thing of the past and that’s sad!

    Reply
  19. Sure! Respect all the good cars on the lot; all the good teams in the league.

    Open-mindedness is a virtue because it allows you to learn from others, while not missing out on anything.

    That us verse them mentality died out with past generations. Furthermore, it blinds you to industry tends that are pretty darn interesting.
    You remind me of my grandpa. He was a Methodist certain the Baptists down the street were hell bound. There is no need to ever be a fanatically loyal sheep.

    Reply
  20. That works for people who don’t have a loyal bone in their body, people use to stand for something! Now they just pick and choose what they hope will make them popular with their friends and family!

    You must not have respect for loyalty! If you would just drop a car company or a sports team so easily cause you see something you think is better what does that say about your character? Would you just drop your wife and kids cause you found new ones that were better looking or more successful?

    I wonder if your family knows you are so disloyal?

    Reply
  21. You need to be loyal but rational all at the same time. Don’t confuse loyal with stubborn.
    I’m sure the designers at GM admire & study the work of others. I’m sure people like Mary Barra are the same way.
    I’m sure most wish they wish Don the best.

    I’m tired of this convo.

    Reply
  22. Then stop!

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  23. You Still Didn’t Answer THE Question Why You Are So disloyal?

    Reply
  24. I’m very loyal.
    I just don’t form faux child-like attachments or think like a sheep in search of a Shepard.

    You treat GMA like a cult.
    I’ve answered your questions. Let’s drop this now, and use this site as designed.

    Reply

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