Founding American Isuzu Exec Quits

John E. (Jack) Reilly, founding senior vice president and former chairman of American Isuzu Motors Inc., has retired after 17 years at the helm of the Whittier-based auto importer. The 71-year-old Capistrano Beach resident, who most recently was senior executive advisor of American Isuzu, was the company’s first employee in the United States.

Separately, American Isuzu has hired Robert Reilly, 45, as senior vice president and general manager for light vehicles. Reilly, son of Jack Reilly, worked at Isuzu for 14 years before leaving in 1993 for a post at GE Capital Corp. He most recently was the giant financing company’s regional vice president for Mexico and the western United States.

As was his father, Reilly will be the senior American executive at American Isuzu.

The senior Reilly says he’ll still spend time with Isuzu, which has retained him as a consultant to continue the work he began 17 years ago when he was hired to evaluate the potential for an independent Isuzu operation in the United States.