The players leading the automaker to success

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Here are some of the GM executives who have been key to its recent model success



Gene Stefanyshyn

Role: Led team that created the mechanical underpinnings of Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura (2007 Free Press and North American Car of the Year).

Title: Vehicle line executive, global midsize front-wheel-drive cars 1995-2005. Now vehicle line executive developing Zeta global family of rear-drive cars.

Age: 50

Background: Canadian-born son of Ukrainian immigrants. "I just want to build a car I'll be proud to have my mom drive," he said of developing GM's Epsilon global family of midsize cars.

Currently based in Australia leading the team that created the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, 2009 Pontiac G8, and other upcoming vehicles.

An avid hockey player.



Anna Kretz

Role: Led team that created the mechanical underpinnings of Buick Enclave.

Title: Vehicle line executive, front-wheel-drive trucks

Age: 56

Background: Born in Poland, came to United States in 1963. The soft-spoken engineer began her GM career at Buick and most recently ramrodded development of GM's new Lambda family of hit crossover SUVs, which includes the Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.

Kretz enjoys travel, particularly to places where she can indulge her love of outdoor sports.



Ed Welburn

Role: Led the renaissance of General Motors design.

Title: Vice president, global design

Age: 57

Background: The self-effacing Welburn is the polar opposite of the flamboyant characters who led GM's earlier design eras, but the Philadelphia-born graduate of Howard University has quietly overseen the creation of an exceptionally broad line of good-looking cars and trucks.

An accomplished cook, Welburn is acknowledged as a stylish dresser.




Bob Lutz

Role: Hired from outside the company to champion excellence in vehicle development and design at GM's highest levels.

Title: Vice chairman

Age: 75

Background: Swiss-born retired Marine fighter pilot Lutz is the John McCain of the auto industry: colorful, candid and quotable. He began his automotive career with GM in 1963 and held senior positions with BMW, Ford and Chrysler before taking his current job in 2001. Lutz flies his personal jets and helicopter and is involved in animal-welfare causes.




Rick Wagoner

Role: Revamped GM bureaucracy to reward vehicle development; hired Lutz; promoted Welburn.

Title: Chairman and chief executive officer

Age: 54

Background: Born in Wilmington, Del., Wagoner was a star basketball player at Duke University. Cool under pressure, he is renowned for deflecting praise toward others. The upcoming ultimate-performance version of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 was Wagoner's idea. Engineers called it the Blue Devil, a reference to Duke's athletic teams.