Breaking! Nissan Vice Chairman Jim Morton Moves Company To Tennessee, Up And Leaves

We just received this news from a tipster at Nissan NorAm's new HQ in out-of-the-way beautiful Tennessee. Apparently the man who made the move happen has decided to move on himself. Jim Morton's retiring from Nissan on April 1st, and we're wondering what he'll do afterward. Maybe some fishing? Some hiking? Some running for Governor, perhaps?

From: N-COM US

Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007

Subject: Internal E-News – Corporate – NNA Executive

Change

Nissan North America Executive Change

Nissan today announced a change to its senior leadership team in North America. Jim Morton, Vice Chairman for Nissan North America, has decided to retire, effective April 1, 2007. He will continue to serve the company as Senior Advisor for Government Affairs on a contract basis. Scott Becker, Vice President of Legal for Nissan North America, will take over Morton's responsibilities for government affairs. The Vice Chairman's position will be vacated.

Immediately prior to being named vice chairman on July 1, 2006, Morton was senior vice president, administration and finance for NNA. In this function, he oversaw all finance, legal, human resources, business strategy, corporate communications, captive finance, security, corporate aviation...

...and audit for Nissan's North American operations.

He is a member of the NNA Board of Directors;

Management Committee Americas (MC-A), the key decision

making body for Nissan in North, Central and South

America; and the U.S. Management Committee (MC-US).

He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the

National Urban League, Chairman of the Association of

International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), a

member of the Advisory Committee for the Trent Lott

Leadership Institute at the University of Mississippi

and the Advisory Committee for the Hollings Cancer

Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. He

will keep an active role with the National Urban

League and the two advisory committees.

Morton joined Nissan in May 2000. Prior to that, he

held a variety of positions with Michelin North

America, Inc., which he joined in 1976. From 1996

until his departure, he held the position of vice

president, public relations and government affairs.

Before that, he served as executive director of

external relations and held other positions in the

company's public relations, governmental affairs and

legal operations.

While at Michelin, Morton's external activities

included serving as vice chairman, South Carolina

Ports Authority; chairman of the South Carolina

Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Board of

Directors of the Rubber Manufacturers Association.

Prior to joining Michelin, Morton worked for Arthur

Andersen & Company and General Dynamics Corporation in

various tax accounting and legal positions.

Morton holds an undergraduate degree in economics from

Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri,

and was awarded his juris doctorate at the University

of Missouri – Columbia. He received an

Alumni Achievement Award from Westminster College in

2003.

"I appreciate Jim's hard work, commitment and

significant contributions to Nissan's organization

during his years of service, and we're looking forward

to his continued contributions in his new

role," said Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan

Motor Co., Ltd. "I know that everyone at

Nissan wishes him and his family the best in the

future."

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Related:

Breaking! Nissan Offers "Voluntary" Buyouts To Tennessee Hourly Workers; Carlos Ghosn Addresses His "Performance Crisis" While HQ Staff Go Bonus Bonkers [internal]