GM names Lutz chairman of GM North America; Zarrella leaves for Bausch & Lomb

Tuesday, November 13th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DETROIT (AP) _ General Motors Corp. on Tuesday announced that Robert Lutz, the automaker's top product designer, has been named of its industry-leading North American operations.

Lutz succeeds Ron Zarrella, who has resigned to become chairman and CEO of Bausch & Lomb Inc. of Rochester, N.Y.

The world's largest automaker also announced that Gary Cowger, group vice president of manufacturing and labor relations, has been named president of GM North America.

``Lutz and Cowger give us a very strong North American leadership team with great experience and depth,'' GM president and CEO Rick Wagoner said in a statement.

Lutz joined GM in September from Exide Technologies after a 39-year career in the auto industry. Lutz, 69, has been looking for ways to shake up the giant company's old habits and wake it from what appeared to outsiders as its creative slumber.

GM reported a profit of $251 million in the third quarter for its North American operations and increased its share of the U.S. market nearly 3 percent to 27.7 percent in the period.