Nissan announces leadership changes in North and Latin America

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissan today announced a number of leadership changes within its North and Latin American operations that will help continue momentum from a banner year for the company.

Nissan rounded out the 2013 calendar year with an all-time record for sales performance, and sales of Nissan's core models were up nearly 16 percent, driven in part by the launches of the all-new Nissan Versa Note and Rogue.

The following changes are effective April 1, unless otherwise noted. Those with North American region designation are responsible for Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Sales & Marketing

Leon Dorssers, currently vice president, Customer Quality & Dealer Network Development, is named vice president, Dealer Network Development, and will focus solely on the North American region.

John Spoon, currently vice president, Parts & Service, is named to a new position as vice president, Customer Quality and Chief Customer Officer, North American region.

Rob Wilson, currently director, Americas Diversity Office, is named to a new position as director, Customer Quality.

Kent O'Hara, currently senior director, Aftersales, is promoted to vice president, Aftersales, North American region.

Jack Wilkerson, currently director, Infiniti Operations is named director, Aftersales, Sales & Marketing.

Jason Yang, currently vice president, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company, will transition to the U.S. and is appointed general manager, West Region.

Pat Steiner, currently regional vice president, Nissan Central Region, is named director, Project Lead Acceleration Office.

Fred DePerez, currently director, Nissan Chief Marketing Manager for Altima/Maxima/GT-R, is named regional vice president, Central Region.

Eric Ledieu, currently director, Aftersales, Nissan Canada, is named director, Nissan Chief Marketing Manager for Altima/Maxima/GT-R.

Michael Soutter, currently senior manager, Field Operations and Business Planning, Nissan Canada, is promoted to director, Aftersales, Nissan Canada.

Corporate Communications

Maria Eugenia Santiago, currently director, Corporate Communications, Nissan Mexico, is named to a new position, director, Corporate Communications, Latin America.

Herman Morfin, currently, sub-director, Corporate Communications, Nissan Mexico, is promoted to director, Corporate Communications, Nissan Mexico.

Administration & Finance

Christina Murray, currently director, Internal Audit, U.S., is named director, Regional Strategy & Planning Office.

Clay Gassaway, currently director, Business Transformation, is named director, Internal Audit, North American region.

Lynn Blake, currently deputy program director, Renault, is returning from a foreign service assignment and is named director, Business Transformation.

Jeffrey Webster, currently director, Human Resources, Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant, is named director, Americas Diversity Office, North American region.

Tom Suter, currently senior manager, Human Resources, Nissan Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant and Decherd Powertrain Assembly Plant, is promoted to director, Human Resources, Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant.

Leonel Medrano, currently sub-director, Central Finance, Nissan Mexico – Aguascalientes, is promoted to a new position, director, Monozukuri Finance, Nissan Mexico.

Roberto Delgado, currently director, Finance, Nissan Mexico – Mexico City, is named to a new position, regional vice president, Administration & Finance, Latin America.

Research and Development (R&D)

John Schnoes, currently Deputy Program Director, Vehicle Information Technology, Nissan Motor Company in Japan, is promoted to Program Director, Vehicle Information Technology.

Yutaka Saito, currently director, Product Engineering, Nissan do Brasil, is promoted to vice president, Nissan Technical Center – Mexico, with responsibility for the Mexico and Brazil R&D organizations.

Kazunori Nakajima, currently Deputy General Manager, Vehicle Quality Promotion Department, Nissan Motor Company, is named director, R&D, Nissan do Brasil.

Shigehito Hosoi, currently sub-director, Design and Development, Nissan Technical Center – Mexico, is promoted to director, Powertrain Engineering.

Yutaka Amamiya, currently senior manager, Chassis Engineering, Nissan Technical Center North America, is promoted to director, Chassis Engineering.

Masato Kimura, currently director, Interior Engineering, Nissan Technical Center North America, will retire from Nissan and join Calsonic Kansei in Farmington Hills, Mich.

Doug Dawe, currently senior manager, Interior Engineering, Nissan Motor Company, is returning from a foreign service assignment and promoted to director, Interior Engineering, Nissan Technical Center – Mexico.

Hitoshi Horie, currently director, Project Quality at Nissan Motor Company, is named, director, Quality Strategy and Administration.

Manufacturing

Mark Swenson, currently vice president, Vehicle Production, Manufacturing Engineering and Component Facilities, is named vice president, Quality and Manufacturing and New Model Engineering, for the United States and Mexico.

Gary Edwards, currently director, Decherd Powertrain Engineering, is promoted to a new role of vice president, Powertrain Operations and Battery Plant.

Fumihiro Katsumata, senior director, Powertrain Operations, will oversee Decherd Powertrain Engineering.

Colin McVay, currently general manager, Quality Engineering, Nissan Europe, is named senior director, Vehicle Quality Engineering, for the United States and Mexico.

Brad Thacker, currently senior director, Product Quality Engineering and Product Quality Assurance, is named senior director, Parts Quality Engineering, for the United States and Mexico.

Gwilym Jeans, currently production manager, Nissan Europe Engineering, is named director, Manufacturing Strategy and Planning Office, U.S. and Mexico.

Masaaki Imai, currently managing Deputy General Manager, Trim & Chassis Engineering, Nissan Motor Company, is named senior director, Manufacturing, with responsibility for New Model & Vehicle Production Engineering at the Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant

Teiji Hirata, currently managing Deputy General Manager, Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing & Prototype Technology, Nissan Motor Company, is named senior director, Manufacturing, with responsibility for New Model & Vehicle Production Engineering at the Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant.

Supply Chain Management

Mark Sharp, currently director, Supply Chain Management, is promoted to a new position, senior director, Alliance New Product Quality Procedure. Chris Styles, currently director, Logistics, is promoted to a new position, senior director, Logistics.

Ben Shain, currently senior manager, Logistics, Smyrna, is promoted to director, Logistics.

Kim Less, currently senior manager, Parts & Service, Supply Chain Management, is promoted to director, Parts and Distribution.

Purchasing

Gary Zoller, currently director, Powertrain Purchasing, Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization, is promoted to senior director, Purchasing Program Management, Strategy & Control.

Roberto Soto-Montes, currently senior manager, Powertrain Purchasing, Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization, is promoted to director, Powertrain Purchasing.

Ricky Mitchell, currently senior manager, Vehicle Purchasing, Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization, is promoted to director, Interior/Exterior/Aftersales Purchasing.

Ignacio Altamirano, currently director, Vehicle Purchasing II, Nissan Mexico, will take on a new role as director, Local Purchasing Head, Nissan Mexico.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

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SOURCE Nissan North America