Volvo shuffles head offices, CEO

Doug Speck, President & CEO of Volvo Cars of North America

Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) has announced that their North American headquarters will pack up and move to Rockleigh, New Jersey to join existing customer care, parts and service operations.

The decision was a matter of consolidation, according to Gerry Keaney, VP of Marketing, Sales and Service at Volvo. "We have evaluated the situation in the U.S. market and decided to consolidate our headquarters operations in one location. It is a natural choice to go back to Volvo Cars' original location in New Jersey as we already have major operations and facilities there."

Volvo headquarters were originally opened in Newark back in the fifties, moving to Englewood Cliffs and Rockleigh in the sixties. Headquarters moved to Irvine in 2001, when the Premier Automotive Group building opened. Volvo says that the relocation back to Rockleigh will make certain operations more efficient while bringing employees together from 3 different time zones.

The company has also appointed Doug Speck as president and CEO, replacing Anne Bélec who has moved into the director of Global Marketing position at Ford. Speck joined VCNA in 2006 and brings with him over two decades of experience from Ford's Premier Automotive Group.

The changes are effective immediately.
photo:Volvo