General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today announced Alicia Boler-Davis will become executive vice president, Global Manufacturing. She succeeds Jim DeLuca, who is retiring after a 37-year career that included key positions in manufacturing, labor relations and quality. The transition will begin immediately.
Boler-Davis, senior vice president, Global Connected Customer Experience since November 2014, led GM’s connected customer activities, including OnStar and the call centers. Prior to leading the Global Connected Customer Experience team, Boler-Davis served as the head of Global Quality and Customer Experience since 2012 and was plant manager of the Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping plants in Michigan.
Boler-Davis began her career with GM in 1994 and has served in various engineering and manufacturing leadership positions, including vehicle line director and vehicle chief engineer for small cars and plant manager for Lansing’s Consolidated Operations and Arlington Assembly. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Indiana University.
In her new role, Boler-Davis will report to GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, and will lead 180,000 employees at 171 facilities in 31 countries. She will also have responsibility for labor relations.
“With all the change facing our industry in the next several years, Alicia’s vast and diverse experience and proven track record for delivering results will help ensure our global manufacturing performance and capabilities are aligned to meet the challenges ahead,” said Barra. “Alicia’s strong manufacturing background, combined with her recent roles leading quality and the customer experience, will allow us to grow an even stronger customer-focused link to our people and processes in manufacturing.”
DeLuca began his GM career in 1979 as a General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) student at GM’s Linden, N.J., Assembly Plant and held a number of increasingly senior manufacturing positions in the company.
“Jim has played a key role in driving significant improvements across the globe in quality and manufacturing costs,” said Barra. “Jim’s dedication and strong commitment to building relationships throughout his career has set an example for his team and the company.”
DeLuca was appointed vice president of Quality for GM Asia Pacific and GM Daewoo Auto & Technology in November 2007. Prior to leading GM Global Manufacturing, Deluca had been vice president of Manufacturing for GMIO since 2013.
DeLuca received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in manufacturing management from GMI.
