Whitacre Vows to 'Learn About Cars' as Chairman of New GM Board

Whitacre Vows to 'Learn About Cars' as Chairman of New GM Board

www.bloomberg.com

June 10 (Bloomberg) -- Edward E. Whitacre Jr. built AT&T Inc. into the biggest U.S. provider of telephone service over a 43-year-career. By his own admission, he becomes chairman of General Motors Corp. knowing nothing about the auto industry.

The 6-foot-4-inch Texan nicknamed “Big Ed” said steering the nation’s largest automaker after bankruptcy is “a public service.” People who know him say he can meet GM’s need for the type of transformation he orchestrated at Dallas-based AT&T.

“I don’t know anything about cars,” Whitacre, 67, said yesterday in an interview after

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I am just flabbergasted that this name doesnt know jack about cars but is now the new GM of a car company. I am sure he built AT&T but phones are cars are totally diffrent aspects.

Well Obama doesnt know how to run a country but he is POTUS so i guess anything is possable huh?

Sorry if this was already posted did a search didnt find anything on it

www.bloomberg.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Anyone else get the distinct feeling someone wants the new GM to fail as well?

What's even more amazing is Obamatrons will find nothing wrong with this and still insist the govt agenda isn't to take over GM. Maybe they can invent a car that runs on all the kool-aid they are drinking.

Some of the details of the criminal acts of the government in this whole mess are starting to come out and its unconscionable what these dealers are being forced to do. They have to sign a secrecy agreement, can't sue anyone after they sign it even if its found later to be illegal, plus if they do sue they must pay theirs as well as GM or Chrysler's legal fees if they win or loose!they have till this Friday to sign on to the BS or they have 24 hours to shut down and they can't sell the cars they have on the lot nor will the companies pay them back for those cars. They can't do service work either on the customers cars they already sold through the years! This administration sucks big ones!

Zindo

Great, so we had from idiots in the car industry that ran the corporation into the ground.

Now, he is replaced by an idiot who admits knowing nothing about cars or the automotive industry.

Speaking about out of the frier into the fire.

Sure...We have a guy running a goverment owned company who knows nothing of biz he is running.

Makes sense to me.

First it is goverment owned....translation...anything goes.
Second it is running a product that depends on the oil industry...translation....sounds like a job for a Texan..enter Big Head..or is it Big Ed the new head of GM...
Third....nobody really knows what is going on in the goverment so why should anyone who is in charge [of the new goverment hostile takeover] of GM really know anything about running GM or cars. Why change things?

If the above makes any sense to anyone then you should go to work for the goverment as I can't make head nor tales of it, which seems to be a good quality if you wanna get into politics.


Wait a minute.

reply to post by whiteraven


White,

You both scare and anger me.

The reason, why that is crystal clear!!!!

YOU ARE COMPLETELY CORRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From bad to worse.

Can we have our revolution yet??


This government has jumped off the tracks and needs to be put down like the rabid dog it has become.

In the appeal by the Chrysler stock holders the SCOTUS for the district said in writing that they would not consider overturning or consider the law of restructuring that has been in place since 1789 about how this process should be adjudicated. That, in the nut shell, speaks volumes on how screwed we are!

Zindo

CEOs generally know about business, which is mostly the same across most industries, and learns the industry their company's in when they start working there. Same way basically the President of the United States operates. He knows very little about being President before he takes office, and learns the industry once he starts.

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


Ok, but don't you think that they could have chosen a CEO who DID have some experience in the auto industry???

Hey, slow down folks!

Any 6'4" Texan that sees this responsibility as a "Public Service" deserves a chance.

I have been in management my whole life, and it is about managing people, micro-environments, and making good business decisions. Beside's look how well the "experts" did at it. New blood is great! It doesn't take a mechanic to run a car company you know.

I saw the headline, and I had the same knee-jerk reaction, but after reading a little deeper, I think this is a great thing! Much better than selling out to the Chinese or Europe. Better than letting the company cease to exist, and much much better than appointing another cronie of the elitists that could care less if it was successful or not!

LET'S SIT BACK AND WATCH THIS ONE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE JUDGING!

reply to post by getreadyalready


Ya know, if no training or experince is required for the job, I want it.

I also have no experience in the automotive industry and also have a lot of management experience.....

I think you can see my point...

Originally posted by mrmonsoon
reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II

 

Ok, but don't you think that they could have chosen a CEO who DID have some experience in the auto industry???

Or how about one with experience in an actual MANUFACTURING sector?

I guess all those guys who know about things like production planning, inventory control, and resource planning were all far too busy to take another job.

I wonder if the people making decisions for GM even know that a manufacturing business (making cars) is about as different from a service business (offering phone, internet, and mobile) as you can possibly be in the business world?

Edward E. Whitacre Jr. built AT&T Inc. into the biggest U.S. provider of telephone service over a 43-year-career.

Bull#! Bull#! Bull#! I want the person who wrote that blatant lie to die a pain-filled and slow death.

Whitacre did not even become an EMPLOYEE of AT&T until 2005 when his company, SBC, took over AT&T. He then retired from AT&T in 2007! This article is claiming that in a two-year span Whitacre "built" a company that is over a hundred years old.

Whitacre, much like Obama, hasn't done anything that he takes credit for - must be a club they all belong to.

Jon

Originally posted by mrmonsoon
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

Ya know, if no training or experince is required for the job, I want it.

I also have no experience in the automotive industry and also have a lot of management experience.....

I think you can see my point...

LOL, I see your point, and I don't think it is in opposition to mine.

I, too, would love the opportunity to manage an American icon with such obvious flaws. I could be a hero in under 6 months! A common sense approach to management, an honest assessment of your position in the market place, and your short-comings. An open-door policy to your employees, a coming to Jesus meeting with the Unions, and suppliers. It seems like a pretty simple fix!

I can think of many business models that would be successful in the auto industry. Chick-Fil-A is a shining example. If Truett Cathy was appointed to this post, it would get a lot of eye-rolling and criticism, but his principles would turn GM around instantaneously!

Originally posted by Voxel

Originally posted by mrmonsoon
reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II

 

Ok, but don't you think that they could have chosen a CEO who DID have some experience in the auto industry???

Or how about one with experience in an actual MANUFACTURING sector?

I guess all those guys who know about things like production planning, inventory control, and resource planning were all far too busy to take another job.

Ok, all kidding a side, you hit the nail right on the head.

Running a car corporation requires more than knowledge of how to sell, it requires everything Voxel stated.

Star for your clear insight.

Listen if this guy worked for At & T, your friendly neighbourhood spy der man, is this his reward for being a good boy.

Speaking of Big Ed.

At and t rolled over and played dead during the NSA wiretap thingy.

Any connection?

lol