Aug. 13, 2004

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. Friday appointed a new head of marketing and advertising for North America and a new marketing chief at its Hummer brand, which has seen a double-digit decline in sales this year.

Mark LaNeve, general manager of marketing for GM's Cadillac division since 2001, will take over as vice president of marketing and advertising for North America effective Sept. 1, the world's largest automaker said in a statement.

It said LaNeve, who has overseen a recent rebound in Cadillac sales, was replacing John Middlebrook, who becomes vice president of global sales, service and marketing operations.

GM also said Susan Doherty, a former head of marketing for Cadillac's hot-selling Escalade sport utility vehicles, had been named divisional marketing general manager for Hummer.

Sales of the bulky, gas-guzzling Hummer H1 and H2 SUVs are down 22 percent this year. A new, mid-size and relatively fuel efficient Hummer H3 makes it debut next year.

Doherty replaces Mike DiGiovanni, who is moving on to a newly created position as head of strategic marketing, GM said.

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