Before OnStar, Marshall was CEO of Revol Wireless, a small, privately held communications firm.
General Motors (NYSE: GM) today announced that Linda Marshall has been appointed president of OnStar, effective 1 February 2011. Marshall succeeds J. Christopher Preuss, who “has elected to leave the company to launch a communications consultancy practice.”
Preuss was appointed president, of OnStar on March 1, 2010. He leaves OnStar as it appears poised for growth by offering its telematics services to the aftermarket and non-GM vehicles for the first time in its history as consumer demand for in car connectivity skyrockets.
Preuss also leaves as OnStar, along with other electronics and auto companies are enmeshed in a distracted driving controversy. Critics contend such devices telematics enable while driving – cellphones, web access, texting – are responsible for 6,000 deaths and more than 500,000 serious injuries each year.
As a lifelong public relations professional, Preuss was likely much more sensitive to the growing distracted driving problem than Wall Street analysts and other executives who emphasize growth with little or no concern for the social problems that the growth might cause.
Marshall will report to former Wall Streeter Stephen J. Girsky, who is now vice chairman, corporate strategy and business development at GM. Marshall joined GM in November 2010 as executive director, OnStar global business strategy and development.
Prior to joining OnStar, she was the chief operating officer for Revol Wireless, a small, privately held communications form.
Before OnStar, Preuss served as vice president, GM Communications, where he led all external and internal communications activities for the company. Preuss was moved out of that job by government appointed and now retired Chairman and CEO, Ed Whitacre, who brought in his own p.r. person, Selim Bingol. Bingol, without automotive experience, worked on mergers and acquisitions with Whitacre at AT&T.
The U.S. Treasury Department had coaxed Whitacre out of an AT&T retirement as it was restructuring GM by forcing it into bankruptcy and firing Chairman Rick Wagoner.
“As we continue to evolve the OnStar brand and bring new features to our customers, we believe Linda’s deep experience can take the brand and platform to the next level,” said Girsky.
“Over the past year, Chris was instrumental in helping create a clear vision and strategy for aligning OnStar with GM infotainment plans and entering the retail market. We thank Chris for his many contributions to GM and wish him every success
