GM changes come at pivotal time

[Bruce Nunnally]

For General Motors Co., a company that has seen two CEOs fired in the last nine months, having two brand managers resigning or replaced is not seismic.

But GM has important new vehicles coming soon -- the Buick Regal, the Cadillac CTS coupe and the Chevrolet Cruze -- and auto show season is here.

This is the time of year when automakers like to let the sheet metal tell the story, with a clear strategy spelled out by leaders of the core brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC.

The changes at Chevrolet and Buick-GMC were different. Whitacre approved the promotion of Jim Campbell to replace Brent Dewar at Chevrolet.

The unexpected departure of Buick-GMC General Manager Michael Richards, just nine days after he began, did not seem to be part of the plan. The company, for example, had already scheduled a media Web chat with him Wednesday afternoon.

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