Rick Suzuki resigns as American Suzuki Chairman
Despite the positive outlook for Suzuki’s U.S. operations, American Suzuki Chairman Rick Suzuki has announced that he will step down as company head. Suzuki, 60, is the grandson of Michio Suzuki, founder of Suzuki Motor Corp., and has headed Suzuki’s American operations since 1998.
Suzuki made the announce in a letter to American Suzuki employees last Friday. Suzuki cited poor sales and earnings under his leadership as his reason for resignation.
In the same letter, Suzuki also announced that the automaker will reduce its U.S. workforce by 55 employees through a voluntary retirement package.
According to Automotive News, American Suzuki set a five year goal in 2003 to sell 200,000 vehicles and 300,000 motorcycles and ATVs in the U.S., but has only attained about half that volume in both categories.
Suzuki topped the 100,000 sales mark for the first time in the U.S. in 2006 and sold 101,884 vehicles last year. But because of the slumping market, Suzuki vehicle sales were off 5 percent through the first two months of the year.
Suzuki recently unveiled the Kizashi 3 concept at the New York Auto Show, a vehicle that should hit the U.S. market in 2010 and will likely get Suzuki closer to its goal of 200,000 sales.
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