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 his appointment. “A business is a business, and I think I can learn about cars. I’m not that old, and I think the business principles are the same.”
Whitacre is “well qualified” for the GM post, the (US) Treasury said in a statement.
Well, since people that “know” cars have running the company for decades and ran it into the ground I would say give the guy a chance. He can’t do much worse.
We had no problem electing George W. Bush twice as President and he knew nothing about how to govern a country properly, so why… oh.
Didn’t come up through GM ranks. Was not around for the GM glory days. doesn’t know how GM really works. I think these are all pluses. Look what the ex Boeing guy did at Ford.
Great, take a retired, old corporate guy that has no idea to solve one of the more complicated challenges in the US… and in 2 years he retires with USD 100 mill. in the bank. Honda and Toyota must laugh their heads off. Look forward to what Government Motors will roll out… something like the Ladas from Togliatti plant in the old USSR. Poor US!
Whitacre knows nothing about telephones, fiber optics, data networks, server farms or interwebbietubes, either.
It’s not like they used the ultimate test: “Any of you candidates ever hang out with Leno? You there, what did you say your name is? Whitacre, right. You’re in.”
It can’t be an accident to put someone in charge of a car company that knows nothing about the car business. Kinda like electing a president that knows nothing about… anything.
This should be a college course: How to utterly fail without hope of success 101.
O’Mama was elected as Chief Exec of the US with zero exec experience. Why the fuss over a much smaller org like GM?
He was appointed to run a company, not get on the plant floor and bolt on parts.
It doesn’t matter what the company is selling, the best CEOs almost all came up through marketing. If not with the company they now run, with other companies.
His job is to sell the company image to car buyers, not make cars. Of course the better the product, the easier his job will be.
#2 and #6 Because Obama is so well qualified as well, right. Give me a break, Bush was 6 mos ago, get over it already!
#9 gpuaglia
I see you are not familiar with my work. I was talking about Obama.
Big Ed to Engineer: What’s this doohickey inside the front of the car? Is it necessary?
Engineer to Big Ed: That, sir, is the engine.
1, Well if you ignore all the government meddling targeted at U.S. automakers because U.S. automakers made so many trucks and SUVs that people wanted when gas prices were cheap then I suppose you’re right.
2, He was much more qualified than Obama. Obama ran for president longer than he did his duties as a senator.
3, Boeing produces things on an assembly line…. a lot more similar to the auto industry than a telecommunications company.
4, Odds are everything Government Motors will make will involve making more hybrids and less trucks and SUVs. Consequently active families with two or more kids are probably going to be forced to pay more for trucks and SUVs.
9, Uncle Dave and Contempt are merely drawing parallels with this article and the current administration.
Cash for Clunkers: http://tinyurl.com/n6febt
Wait a sec,is this sign telling me to plunge my car into the water
or not too?
He’s got the momentum to get the job done, continuing the “public service” he did at the beloved AT&T Corp.
Ed is a smart guy and has the cojones (San Antonio lingo there.) to do what needs to be done to straighten out GM. If busy bodies stay out of his way GM will be stronger for it.
I’m rooting for him. I might even reconsider my pledge to never buy a GM vehicle.
I believe the big AT&T turnaround came by screwing customers.
As long as he knows how to fire deadwood in the executive ranks at GM, then he will have done what needs be done. GM is rotten to the core because of their corporate culture forbids any dissent, creativity, or risk.
Waggoner ran the company into the ground and he knew alot about cars…so it’s obvious this guy should do quite well.
This guy may not take payoffs from big oil.
This guy may not take payoffs to kill the electric car.
#12 – “active families” – LOL what a joke. The only time “active families are all in the car together is on a holiday”. 99.9% of the Tahoes, and Suburbans, and Cadillac SUVs that are on the road are being driven by a stupid blonde bimbo who NEVER uses the cargo space and just likes “being up high above everyone else on the road”. I know this for a fact – since i did demographics studies for GM for the last 10 years.
By the way Bush was an moron with a IQ level so low he was close to “mentally challenged” status – Obama, whether you like him or not, is very intellegent and would have succeeded in any career he chose, not just lived off Daddy for his whole life. – No comparison.
# 19 you are all stupid said, “This guy may not take payoffs to kill the electric car.”
GM is hiding battery tech that no other auto manufacturer has?
#10 Sorry, I guess I’m just used to the “it’s Bush’s fault for everything” that most seem to have here.
AT&T is well known for bad services… Yeah… Must be nice to be part of the IN crowd, there’s no way he could get a job based on merit.
Because you know both of them so well. The only moron here is you for making stupid statements about 2 people you really know nothing about.
# 19 you are all stupid said, “Obama, whether you like him or not, is very intellegent and would have succeeded in any career he chose, ”
ROFL! Yep, I can see him applying his “econ” knowledge to a company as CEO. BK in nothing flat!
#24, Cow-Patty,
BK in nothing flat!
Like your Popcycle stand?
#14, Ed.
The sign is actually to warn swimmers that some people will drive their cars through the water. If the car stalls out and the kids drown they will also blame some black kidnapper, which is why they used black paint.
Yet another example of where this administration is taking us. If you can look at this and still deny that there is a purposeful effort to destroy American business you’re not paying attention.
😛 ya know i coulda done just as good a job as the the recent executives at gm, i could have driven the company into the ground and i would have done it for far less..
wouldn’t need a company jet either…
#28 FTW
Related: Roger Penske buys the Saturn division. Hard core car guy with megaSMARTS! Buy stock in this baby.