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Harley-Davidson Starts Reorganization, Names New CEO

It seems like White House speaker Nancy Pelosi's statement that "companies involved in the automotive sector must be ready for sacrifices" applies to the motorcycle industry as well as Harley Davidson has just announced that Keith E. Wandell was appointed President and Chief Executive President and Chief Operating Officer of Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls, Inc. and will replace James L. Ziemer on May 1.

Wondering what's the reason? Harley-Davidson hasn't said too much about the move but explained that Ziemer is retiring from the company. Although we're not sure this is the real reason, Harley-Davidson was one of the motorcycle manufacturers that struggled to cope with the recession, as the economic turmoil forced the company turn to job cuts. Harley announced in mid-January that, in addition to a 1,100-job cut, it might also shut down production at several plants, as part of a broader campaign to save costs.

"We reduced our production levels prudently in 2008, helping our dealers achieve lower inventory levels," Jim Ziemer, the company's outgoing chief executive said in a statement, "and we're going to show similar discipline in 2009."

Getting back to today's upper management rank shifting, Harley-Davidson, Inc. Board Member Barry K. Allen expressed his full confidence that Wandell is the right man for this job.

"Keith Wandell is a seasoned global business leader who brings tremendous energy, passion, and organizational and talent development capability to his job as Harley-Davidson's new chief executive," he said. "His vision and values make him a great fit, and he is absolutely the right person to now lead Harley-Davidson on its exciting journey."
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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