6.12.2002
Larry Burns to take more active role in fuel cells
as Frank Colvin retires and Dr. Erhard Schubert to become Director of
Technology Integration for GME
Frank Colvin, Vice President of GM's fuel cell activities,
will retire after 38 years with GM, effective Feb. 1, 2003. Larry Burns,
GM Vice President of Research, Development and Planning, will assume an
even more active role in the management of GM's fuel cell activities.
Dr. Erhard Schubert will move from his current role as Director of Fuel
Cell Activities, Mainz-Kastel, to become the Director of Technology Integration
for GM Europe.
Byron McCormick, currently Executive Director of GM Fuel Cell Activities,
will assume Colvin's responsibilities and report directly to Burns.
Colvin, 60, started with GM as a power systems project engineer at Buick
in 1965. He has been a GM Vice President since 1997, first as the Vice
President and Group Director for GM's Midsize and Luxury Car Group before
being named Vice President and Group Director of GM's North American Car
Group. In the latter position, he is credited with beginning one of the
most extensive global engineering integration efforts in GM history. Later,
as the Vice President of GM Europe engineering, Colvin helped establish
and grow fuel cell activities within GM.
A native of Indianapolis, Colvin has an electrical engineering degree
from Purdue University and a master's degree in business administration
from Stanford University, where he was a Sloan Fellow.
Julie Beamer, formerly director of GM business planning and support, has
been appointed Director, Fuel Cell Activities, reporting to McCormick.
In her previous role, Beamer served as secretary to GM's North American
Strategy Board.
Dr. Erhard Schubert will move from his current role as Director of Fuel
Cell Activities, Mainz-Kastel, to become the Director of Technology Integration
for GM Europe. In his new position he will direct GM relations with EUCAR,
a cooperative research and development program between European car companies.
EUCAR is a sister program to the United States Council for Automotive
Research (USCAR), a partnership arrangement between GM, Ford Motor Co.
and DaimlerChrysler. In this role, Schubert will serve as the liaison
with European energy and environmental activities. He will report directly
to Larry Burns and Hans Demant, Vice President of GM Europe Engineering.
Udo Winter will assume Schubert's previous duties of managing a 200 person
fuel cell integration team in Mainz-Kastel, Germany (outside Frankfurt)
and will report to McCormick.