General Motors Restructures Global Vehicle Engineering Team: Executive Shuffle

General Motors announced today the restructuring of its Global Vehicle Engineering organization which it hopes will improve cross-system integration, deliver more consistent performance across vehicle programs and address functional safety and compliance in its vehicles. Global Vehicle Engineering is being restructured to form two new organizations, Global Product Integrity and Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems.

The Global Product integrity team will focus and build on GM’s recent advancements in vehicle dynamics including ride, handling, steering and braking. Ken Morris, currently executive director of Global Chassis Engineering, has been named vice president of Global Product Integrity. The team will also include the recently formed Global Vehicle Safety organization led by Jeff Boyer. GM says the organization will include vehicle, powertrain and electrical systems engineering as well as vehicle performance, industrial engineering and validation.

The Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems team will adopt the former Supplier Quality organization and its responsibilities. Ken Kelzer, currently vice president of GM Europe Powertrain Engineering, has been named vice president of Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems. The new organization will focus on engineering operations, components development, advanced vehicle development and other engineering business initiatives.

In light of the restructuring, 33-year GM employee John Calabrese, vice president of Global Vehicle Engineering, has elected to retire. He began his career with GM in 1981 as an experimental engineer and has served in a variety of leadership roles in Engineering and Purchasing. He will remain with the company until August to assist with the transition of the two new organizations.

“Under John’s leadership, GM has developed industry-leading vehicles in practically every segment in which we compete,” said GM North America president, Mark Reuss.  “He raised the bar in Engineering and has us well-positioned for the future. We thank John for his many contributions and I thank him for his friendship – and wish him the best.”

About Ken Morris

Morris joined GM in 1989 as a brake systems engineer, coming off his job with Borg Warner Automotive Transmission Systems where he was a test engineer. He has held several key roles in engineering with GM, most recently executive director for Global Chassis Engineering, where he was mainly responsible for the design and execution of fuel systems, suspensions, steering, brakes, tires and wheels as well as powertrain interface systems. He was also previously director for Global Vehicle Performance, Proving Grounds and Test Labs.

About Ken Kelzer

Ken Kelzer started his career with GM as an intern in 1982. His most recent position within the company was vice president of General Motors Europe Powertrain Engineering, where he was responsible for many of GM’s powertrain operations in Europe. He also has held the position of executive chief engineer of full and midsize vehicles, global vehicle chief engineer for rear-wheel drive and performance vehicles, and global functional leader of chassis and accessories. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a master’s in Business from the University of Michigan.