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Ed Whitacre's rude reception in Motor City

FORTUNE/CNN -- The honeymoon is officially over.

Three months after he replaced Fritz Henderson as CEO of General Motors, Ed Whitacre is getting a rude introduction to life in a single-industry town.

Following the reorganization of sales and marketing in North America last week, the latest in a series of management changes that saw some veteran executives relieved of their jobs, the Detroit media unleashed a torrent of criticism.

It didn't matter that Whitacre, according to an insider, wasn't even responsible for the North America changes. Those decisions were delegated to North American chief Mark Reuss.

Or that GM had gone bankrupt under an earlier administration, so presumably some shifts in personnel were due.

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Submitted Mar 11, 2010 By: Sneakers55

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garman87 Champion Author Austin Posts:1,283 Points:1,510,910 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:29:29 PM Ignore garman87 Report Abuse GM is still doomed due to the same mistakes they make over and over.
regasaz Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,170 Points:348,795 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:28:26 PM Ignore regasaz Report Abuse Number 1 is to get this country back to work, and our current administration has NO Clue on how to make that happen. Next, get rid of the UAW , let auto prices adjust to their proper level, and watch car sales start to move forward.
pliskin Champion Author Syracuse Posts:3,204 Points:978,285 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:24:28 PM Ignore pliskin Report Abuse Tell Whitacre to stay in Washington with Pres. Obama where he belongs.
Road-Runner Champion Author Denver Posts:3,606 Points:1,224,850 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:22:38 PM Ignore Road-Runner Report Abuse Big Deal.
MalibuGordie Champion Author California Posts:3,373 Points:626,790 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:21:49 PM Ignore MalibuGordie Report Abuse There's plenty that the current administration is responsible for!
gass12 Champion Author Omaha Posts:3,621 Points:1,341,565 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:20:43 PM Ignore gass12 Report Abuse It always happens yhe current adminstration gets the blame for something that happens before they took over. The same thing is happen right now-Obama is getting the blame that Bush left us with.
Romey08 Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,939 Points:570,350 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:17:35 PM Ignore Romey08 Report Abuse It's amazing how the some folks think and blame the current leadership /administration for all their problems, when the last administration is to blame.
lpj Champion Author Macon Posts:7,401 Points:1,526,065 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:12:03 PM Ignore lpj Report Abuse do away with the big union pay checks, sell cars at more reasonable prices at non union wages !!!!
jwduke1 Champion Author Iowa Posts:11,320 Points:2,220,410 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:07:47 PM Ignore jwduke1 Report Abuse Get rid of the UAW!
preacherjohn All-Star Author Modesto Posts:822 Points:1,017,780 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:04:39 PM Ignore preacherjohn Report Abuse Big wigs need to take a cut in pay & help save the company.
RobRD Champion Author Alberta Posts:3,828 Points:896,020 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 6:01:15 PM Ignore RobRD Report Abuse Unlike Mulally who came from a manufacturing background even more complex than the auto industry, Whitacre's experience in the telecommunication sector which hasn't built anything more complex than telephone switch shows he doesn't have a clue. I think we will see GM back in bankruptcy and Whitacre reputation tattered.
bluzdw Sophomore Author Missouri Posts:121 Points:30,745 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:54:04 PM Ignore bluzdw Report Abuse Seize the day. Buy American!
Ken2OD Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:4,098 Points:999,510 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:47:32 PM Ignore Ken2OD Report Abuse Just to top things off, Detroit voters are getting the "change" they voted for. The cash strapped city is now seriously considering bulldozing down blocks and blocks of empty neighborhood homes and businesses and turning the land back into farmland. Soon, Mr. Whitacre will not even have sufficient bodies around to re-hire in case GM decides to go back into auto production. They will, however, have acres and acres of empty fields to grow corn for ethanol. One losing venture will replace another losing "Venture." (Chevy pun intended.)
Chris46 Champion Author Dayton Posts:11,037 Points:1,249,325 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:45:02 PM Ignore Chris46 Report Abuse The bottom line is... Sell more cars and better cars... Then the public will respond. Especially w/Toyota on the outs. Seize the market!
caddilac Champion Author Ontario Posts:10,671 Points:1,162,080 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:44:25 PM Ignore caddilac Report Abuse "...... the Detroit media unleashed a torrent of criticism." As per usual, the media gets it all wrong, by blaming the wrong guy.
madison8359 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,880 Points:623,135 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:39:49 PM Ignore madison8359 Report Abuse As we all know if you make an omlette you must break some eggs. The U.S. automotive industry is behind the eight ball due to mamagements ineptness. I know we all what to blame the unions but that is just sour grapes because they did pretty good at contract time. But remember that management did even better. It appears that the motor town is just not ready to accept that they are the problem and the fix is not more of the same. Let them cry that one or all of their boys lost those big paying jobs, if the industry is to survive it needs change. When a company does not change it is doomed and that is what happened in Detroit. Without change they will surely go under!
2granny Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,237 Points:488,050 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:38:01 PM Ignore 2granny Report Abuse No big news, they needed a change.
adr47 Champion Author Saskatchewan Posts:2,406 Points:539,495 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:37:07 PM Ignore adr47 Report Abuse Big Deal
goldilox88 Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,253 Points:624,580 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:32:45 PM Ignore goldilox88 Report Abuse And what did he expect?
MINER Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:8,437 Points:2,471,195 Joined:Jul 2002	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:29:29 PM Ignore MINER Report Abuse Must be a slow news day....
amearly Champion Author Michigan Posts:7,201 Points:1,496,570 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:25:56 PM Ignore amearly Report Abuse Nice to see our government contining to getting in the way of something they don't know how to run.
TopGunn Champion Author Baltimore Posts:4,244 Points:1,640,735 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:23:39 PM Ignore TopGunn Report Abuse From the top of government or industry, knowledgeable leaders in their fields are missing everywhere.
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:3,195 Points:593,710 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:23:21 PM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse Its time to clean the Government out OF GM.
Dipstick1 Champion Author Amarillo Posts:5,125 Points:1,474,865 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:22:04 PM Ignore Dipstick1 Report Abuse He expected a red carpet?
mplato Champion Author Columbia Posts:4,231 Points:1,014,610 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:21:53 PM Ignore mplato Report Abuse lol....heard he wants to take government motors public so the government can sell its share of the company and the government can make a heafty profit.....lol
gasaholicNC All-Star Author North Carolina Posts:914 Points:595,735 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:19:52 PM Ignore gasaholicNC Report Abuse Time To Clean The Slate ... Time To get rid Of The Rest
fire@53 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:7,076 Points:1,828,425 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:13:45 PM Ignore fire@53 Report Abuse What did you expect from Government Motors, a puppet of the White House.
sailormon Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,939 Points:476,725 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:13:18 PM Ignore sailormon Report Abuse "As an outsider who came from the telecommunications industry" Here is the problem...Just like Harley-Davidson's new president and CEO, Keith E. Wandell, who came from Johnson Controls....He doesn't have a clue to the culture.
fullauto All-Star Author Reading Posts:971 Points:604,130 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:12:56 PM Ignore fullauto Report Abuse rudeness - the true ugly american trait.
WCCurtis Champion Author San Bernardino Posts:3,005 Points:919,465 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:08:59 PM Ignore WCCurtis Report Abuse That is what happens when you are Obama's hired gun.
aarrrt Champion Author San Diego Posts:3,000 Points:716,275 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:06:13 PM Ignore aarrrt Report Abuse If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen and GM is on the burner.
sjl08203 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,079 Points:973,340 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:03:38 PM Ignore sjl08203 Report Abuse So what? Why is this news?
nojsts Champion Author St. Louis Posts:14,043 Points:2,828,980 Joined:May 2002	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 5:00:49 PM Ignore nojsts Report Abuse All of these big companies need to be shaken up. The CEO's do not need to make millions while the working people lose their jobs.
letmathe Champion Author Chicago Posts:10,022 Points:2,286,590 Joined:May 2001	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:56:22 PM Ignore letmathe Report Abuse OK
Pucked Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:1,091 Points:210,780 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:54:31 PM Ignore Pucked Report Abuse That's the way it works.
FieroGT Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:9,497 Points:1,654,595 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:54:24 PM Ignore FieroGT Report Abuse Media hype. Who knows what's real.
MS_steve Veteran Author Mississippi Posts:256 Points:456,745 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:48:23 PM Ignore MS_steve Report Abuse The media has found a new 'somebody' to blame for all the woes of Detroit.
saleboss All-Star Author Phoenix Posts:750 Points:547,845 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:42:09 PM Ignore saleboss Report Abuse I think that GM needs to be shaken up, and made to see the light. I wish that the same thing could have happened to the S&Ls and banks that went under and needed to be bailed out!
snofog All-Star Author Seattle Posts:623 Points:92,655 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:38:50 PM Ignore snofog Report Abuse My.
RockCity Champion Author Denver Posts:2,717 Points:484,845 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:29:23 PM Ignore RockCity Report Abuse Why change, they should have kept the status quo, I imagine things were moving along swimmingly.
DickAAA Champion Author St. Louis Posts:1,350 Points:800,255 Joined:Jan 2005	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:26:08 PM Ignore DickAAA Report Abuse Whitacre will turn GM around and don't need any help from the press.
camel1 Champion Author Minnesota Posts:3,795 Points:1,329,550 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:24:23 PM Ignore camel1 Report Abuse AS NORMAL, BLAME THE PERSON AT THE TOP
BurntOrange Champion Author Austin Posts:2,540 Points:617,820 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:23:55 PM Ignore BurntOrange Report Abuse Cleaning house is always painful, and turning around a huge company such as GM is going to take some time.
kyrunner Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,931 Points:725,710 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:22:59 PM Ignore kyrunner Report Abuse Everyone forgets that the federal government actually cleared all changes. People shouldn't hammer Mr. Whitaker as he was only following orders from the the real owners (the federal government/current administration and the unions).
debbiedl Veteran Author Akron Posts:341 Points:194,245 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2010 4:18:24 PM Ignore debbiedl Report Abuse So much for giving the guy a chance ... things have got to be going a little better which he Toyota debacle.