Subaru of America has another top executive shakeup. What is happening at Subaru, and what does it mean for customers?
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Subaru of America (SOA) continues its shakeup of top-level executives. On March 3, SOA announced effective April 1, 2023; Tom Doll will step down as President and CEO of Subaru of America. This week, Subaru announced another top executive change as Troy Poston has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales, effective April 1. He replaces Jeff Walters, named President and Chief Operating Officer, effective April 1, 2023.
What does it mean for customers?
The top executives will have big shoes to fill as Tom Doll was the architect that led Subaru of America from 187,000 vehicles in 2007 to 700,000 in 2019. Subaru would have kept its upward trend without COVID-19 shutting down its new model production of new models like the Subaru Outback Wilderness.
Howard Drake, Owner of Subaru Sherman Oaks in California, told Automotive News, "The most relevant question at the end of someone's career is: Did they leave the company better than they found it? The breadth of the answer is what sets Tom apart. Subaru is much stronger. The brand is much stronger. The retailers are much stronger. The world is a better place with the hundreds of millions of dollars of contributions and countless hours the collective of the Subaru brand has donated."
What's next for Subaru of America?
Subaru Corporation's new CEO, Atsushi Osaki, says the Japanese automaker plans to step up its electrification strategy in the U.S., which includes several battery-powered EVs by 2025. The EV rollout will lean on Subaru's partnership with Toyota and be further amplified by the expansion of the company's hybrid vehicles, Osaki said.
The common trend among the management changes is long-term tenure with Subaru. For example, Atsushi Osaki is a 35-year veteran of Subaru, Tadashi Yoshida is a 34-year veteran with Subaru Corp., Jeffrey Walters has over 30 years of experience with SOA, and newly appointed Troy Poston has held numerous positions with Subaru for 26 years.
Look for significant changes in the electrification of Subaru models. Still, the automaker will keep its core values of fun-to-drive, all-wheel-drive, outdoor-ready, safety, and value-focused. So can Subaru go from good to great in the new EV era? Stay tuned.
Drake said, "Tom's 40-year Subaru career, the last ten as the U.S. unit's leader, has enabled the brand to develop the next generation of leaders. As a result, Subaru will be in good hands."
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report, where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo credit: Subaru USA
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