Greenwald to Join Iacocca in New Office at Chrysler

Chrysler Corp. has established a new office of the chairman in a move that its 64-year-old Chairman Lee A. Iacocca said was partly intended to pave the way for a successor.

Iacocca and a new vice chairman, Gerald Greenwald, formerly Chrysler Motors chairman, will make up the new two-man office at the No. 3 auto maker, the company said.

Chrysler Motors President Bennett Bidwell will succeed Greenwald as Chrysler Motors’ chairman.

Iacocca and Greenwald will be joined on a three-member corporate policy committee by Robert S. Miller, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Iacocca, who turned 64 on Oct. 15, said broadening the experience of senior executives would pave the way for an orderly succession when he retires. He has up to three years remaining on his contract with Chrysler.

“This gives our top people a chance to stretch a little,” he said.

Chrysler Motors will be given a similar structure, with management responsibilities shared by Bidwell and Chrysler Motors President Robert A. Lutz. And Bidwell, Lutz, Greenwald and Miller will make up an administrative committee for Chrysler Motors.

Chrysler Motors and the Chrysler Financial Corp. and Chrysler Technologies units will report to the Chrysler Corp. office of the chairman. Reporting directly to Iacocca will be the offices of corporate planning and external affairs, and personnel and organization, the company said in a news release.

Lutz and Bidwell had jointly held the title of president before the reorganization.