GM Restructures Delco Electronics Unit

General Motors Corp. announced a shake-up at the top of Delco Electronics Corp. as part of a plan to make the electrical auto parts business more competitive. Gary Dickinson, 58, will retire Jan. 1 from his post as president and chief executive of Delco, after a three-year tenure. He will be replaced by Michael Burns, 44, who was general manager of Delphi Thermal Systems, a unit of Delphi Automotive Systems, GM’s other auto parts company. Detroit-based GM is struggling to improve both Delco and Delphi, and analysts expect the auto maker will eventually merge the two businesses. Kokomo, Ind.-based Delco is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based Hughes Electronics Corp., which also includes defense contractor Hughes Aircraft Co.