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Donahoe to retire as plant manager
Successor will assume Lordstown reins Sunday
By Ashley Luthern
Photo
Lordstown plant manager John Donahoe
LORDSTOWN
After 33 years working for General Motors, Lordstown plant manager John Donahoe announced his retirement Tuesday.
Donahoe will retire Oct. 1, and his successor, Bob Parcell, will begin work Sunday. Parcell is now the plant manager of GM’s Bowling Green, Ky., plant, which builds the Chevrolet Corvette.
Parcell “will be there on a day-to-day basis, and [Donahoe] will be on standby if he’s needed to answer questions or for any consulting,” said Tom Mock, plant spokesman. “It’s just to help make the transition process easier.”
Donahoe came to Lordstown on Aug. 1, 2005, replacing Maureen Midgley, plant manager from 2001 to 2005. He had been plant manager at the GM Mansfield Metal Center since 2002 and plant manager at GM’s metal-stamping facility in Lansing, Mich., from 2000 to 2002.
Donahoe was not available to comment Tuesday.
Mock emphasized that the retirement was Donahoe’s personal decision.
At Lordstown, Donahoe helped launch the Chevrolet Cruze and solidify relationships between management and labor, union leaders said.
“John has a huge role in what happened over the past four or five years,” said Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112.
“No one gave us a chance to get a new product, and the naysayers said Lords-town won’t make it, but again, the leadership has to provide guidance. ... [He] offered the help and encouragement that we needed in that time.”
Dave Green, president of UAW Local 1714, said Donahoe was an effective manager.
“I think he’s done a good job as a plant manager, and I’m sure he will be missed by a lot of people,” he said.
Donahoe’s announcement comes two weeks after the Cruze launch, but the transition should not affect production, Green said.