Mazda President and CEO James O’Sullivan named Automotive Executive of the Year
Joining the ranks of Carroll Shelby, Rick Wagoner, Henry Ford II, Robert Eaton, Lee Iacocca and John DeLorean (to name just a few), James O’Sullivan will receive the 2009 Automotive Executive of the Year Award at an invitation-only luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC) in May. O’Sullivan is the current President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations, and Managing Executive Officer, Mazda Motor Corporation.
The award, started in 1964, recognizes excellence in automotive leadership from OEM executives as chosen by a nominating committee comprised of industry media, analysts, and suppliers. O’Sullivan has more than three decades of experience in the industry, and he held many key positions with Ford before heading Mazda. Robert Djurovic, executive director of the Automotive Executive of the Year award program said, “As a native Detroiter with a strong background in the actual sales process, coupled with a lean inventory, a solid partnership with JP Morgan Chase, and a great market offering in the Mazda3, James is the ideal candidate for the 2009 Automotive Executive of the Year.”
[Source: Mazda]