Hyundai Fires U.S. chief Zuchowski
#31
Lead Lap
It definitely hasn't been updated. Also it can't be wrongful termination if she resigned. I'm sure they gave her a severance to go along with her termination though.
#32
Lead Lap
Anyhow, we were originally talking about Zuchowski. He doesn't seem to have been involved in any kind of legal trouble. He was (apparently) just dumped either because someone in an even higher place didn't like him, or because he couldn't magically meet some numbers pulled out of a hat.
#33
Lexus Fanatic
That's no necessarily true. Even if she resigned she can still potentially claim that she was forced out of her position and was de facto terminated.
#34
Lead Lap
True. These also get messy if she signed any documents on her way out regarding severance pay; the 3 companies I've worked for have usually have enough legalese written into severance agreements that they force you to go into arbitration before suing. This is of course further complicated because she was an expat.
#35
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by TangoRed
True. These also get messy if she signed any documents on her way out regarding severance pay; the 3 companies I've worked for have usually have enough legalese written into severance agreements that they force you to go into arbitration before suing. This is of course further complicated because she was an expat.
#36
The Korean cross-cultural politics Dave had to deal with wasn't too dissimilar with what many US Toyota execs deal with when they go to Japan.
#37
Lexus Fanatic
What I meant by "Numbers doing out of a hat" was not necessarily numbers coming from nowhere, but (more or less as you put it)...........simply setting official sales-goals without realistic expectations if those goals are attainable or not in the current economic climate. Given Hyundai and Kia's stratospheric rise in the auto industry in recent years (rivaling Toyota's in some ways), one cannot realistically expect those numbers to keep going up and up at the same rate forever. Even if they were to put a guy like Bob Lutz in there in Dave's place (and Bob can work magic if any auto-exec can)....they wouldn't necessarily meet arbitrary sales-goals.
#38
Lead Lap
What I meant by "Numbers doing out of a hat" was not necessarily numbers coming from nowhere, but (more or less as you put it)...........simply setting official sales-goals without realistic expectations if those goals are attainable or not in the current economic climate. Given Hyundai and Kia's stratospheric rise in the auto industry in recent years (rivaling Toyota's in some ways), one cannot realistically expect those numbers to keep going up and up at the same rate forever. Even if they were to put a guy like Bob Lutz in there in Dave's place (and Bob can work magic if any auto-exec can)....they wouldn't necessarily meet arbitrary sales-goals.
Last edited by TangoRed; 12-27-16 at 09:26 PM.
#39
Lexus Fanatic
We don't know the exact sales goal that Zuchowski failed to make, so calling them arbitrary or unrealistic as a matter of fact is the wrong thing to do. We do know that Hyundai's volume was only up 1.3% through November despite a heavy fleet mix. Also I really don't think Bob Lutz is the one in a million exec as people make him out to be. While he certainly has an impressive resume and lots to be proud of, there are many other talented people out there; they just aren't as loud and crass as Mr. Lutz. And truly, I was unimpressed by most of Lutz's initiatives at GM during the 2000's.
Lutz did a lot of good at GM. Though it finally took a major reorganization and a big buyout composed of government, union, and bondholder money to complete the job, Lutz started the whole process of changing GM vehicles from rental-grade, cookie-cutter, El Cheapo-designs to true credibility and competiveness.
#40
Lexus Fanatic
We don't know the exact sales goal that Zuchowski failed to make, so calling them arbitrary or unrealistic as a matter of fact is the wrong thing to do. We do know that Hyundai's volume was only up 1.3% through November despite a heavy fleet mix. Also I really don't think Bob Lutz is the one in a million exec as people make him out to be. While he certainly has an impressive resume and lots to be proud of, there are many other talented people out there; they just aren't as loud and crass as Mr. Lutz. And truly, I was unimpressed by most of Lutz's initiatives at GM during the 2000's.
#41
Lead Lap
And the merger from the American perspective: http://www.autonews.com/article/2009...under-schrempp
#42
Lexus Fanatic
Mercedes was the prime reason Chrysler Co. was in such bad shape during the 2000's. That was a complete blunder and Juergen Schrempp is a madman. Bob Eaton should be ashamed of himself too. Both Daimler and Chrysler are lucky that greater sense prevailed and Daimler-Chrysler was broken up. You should read this: (starting at Project Blitz):
#43
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Update
http://www.autonews.com/article/2017...gh-sales-month
Hyundai's U.S. sales chief Hatami is out after tough sales month
June 6, 2017 @ 3:04 pmHave an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.
LOS ANGELES -- Derrick Hatami, who rejoined Hyundai Motor America as its U.S. sales chief in 2015 after a brief stint at Nissan, is leaving the company, effective immediately.
His departure was announced to Hyundai employees and dealers on Tuesday. He will take a position at a different company.
Hatami's decision to depart follows the December 2016 firing of Hyundai's U.S. CEO, Dave Zuchowski, and comes on the heels of a tough May for the South Korean automaker, in which Hyundai brand sales dropped 18 percent to 58,259 units. For the year, sales are down 7.5 percent to 283,547 units. The brand's U.S. light-vehicle sales have dropped 6 straight months year over year. Those numbers exclude the new Genesis luxury division, which has sold 8,306 units this year. Hyundai's numbers have been hampered by a shift away from fleet sales, without an offsetting boost in incentive or marketing spending. Also weighing down Hyundai is a car-heavy product mix and tight production capacity for the Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport crossovers.
Hyundai said it would begin a search for Hatami's successor immediately. In the interim, it said, Sam Brnovich, Hyundai's southern regional general manager, "will support the overall sales organization."
"Derrick served the company well during his time as head of sales and we wish him nothing but success," Hyundai said in a statement to Automotive News.
Hatami, who was selected as an Automotive News Rising Star last year, joined Hyundai in 2005 and worked his way up to general manager of the western region. He left in January 2014 to become Nissan's sales chief, a role he held until September 2015, when he returned to Hyundai to replace Bob Pradzinski as vice president of sales.
LOS ANGELES -- Derrick Hatami, who rejoined Hyundai Motor America as its U.S. sales chief in 2015 after a brief stint at Nissan, is leaving the company, effective immediately.
His departure was announced to Hyundai employees and dealers on Tuesday. He will take a position at a different company.
Hatami's decision to depart follows the December 2016 firing of Hyundai's U.S. CEO, Dave Zuchowski, and comes on the heels of a tough May for the South Korean automaker, in which Hyundai brand sales dropped 18 percent to 58,259 units. For the year, sales are down 7.5 percent to 283,547 units. The brand's U.S. light-vehicle sales have dropped 6 straight months year over year. Those numbers exclude the new Genesis luxury division, which has sold 8,306 units this year. Hyundai's numbers have been hampered by a shift away from fleet sales, without an offsetting boost in incentive or marketing spending. Also weighing down Hyundai is a car-heavy product mix and tight production capacity for the Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport crossovers.
Hyundai said it would begin a search for Hatami's successor immediately. In the interim, it said, Sam Brnovich, Hyundai's southern regional general manager, "will support the overall sales organization."
"Derrick served the company well during his time as head of sales and we wish him nothing but success," Hyundai said in a statement to Automotive News.
Hatami, who was selected as an Automotive News Rising Star last year, joined Hyundai in 2005 and worked his way up to general manager of the western region. He left in January 2014 to become Nissan's sales chief, a role he held until September 2015, when he returned to Hyundai to replace Bob Pradzinski as vice president of sales.
#44
Lexus Fanatic
It always amazes me that so many people say Hyundai is great, they are so much better than they were in the past. There is the long warranty. Then you have a story above that they have dropped in sales for the last 6 months.
#45
Lexus Fanatic
Quality of product and sales of product don't always equal each other...
I'll have to look at the sales, last time this happened sales were in fact up, just "not enough"
I'll have to look at the sales, last time this happened sales were in fact up, just "not enough"