Mazda Exec Steps Down

George McCabe, veteran sales and marketing vice president for Mazda Motor Corp.’s North American operations unit, will leave the company Jan. 1.

Mazda said that McCabe, who once was the company’s top operating officer in the U.S., is leaving to explore other business opportunities. The company has not named a successor.

McCabe’s responsibilities were shifted to sales and marketing after Ford Motor Co. took control of Mazda in Japan last year. Former Ford executive Richard Beattie was tapped to realign Mazda’s U.S. operations.

McCabe joined Mazda in 1974 as a district sales manager and served in a variety of executive positions.