To bolster North America Honda elevates top U.S. exec

Honda Motor Co. is expanding the role of North America COO Tetsuo Iwamura -- making him the automaker's second-highest global executive and marking the first time such a position has been based in the United States.

Iwamura, 60, also president of American Honda Motor Co., will add the title of executive vice president and executive officer of parent Honda Motor effective April 1, the company said.

On Tuesday, Honda said Iwamura also will be appointed to the board as a director of Honda Motor, pending approval at the company's annual shareholder meeting in June.

American Honda also named Erik Berkman head of Honda R&D Americas, with responsibility for design and product development. He is the first non-Japanese executive to hold the post.

The management changes underscore the growing importance of North America to Honda as the automaker faces stiffer competition from Japanese, Korean and U.S. rivals.

The United States is Honda's largest market and North America accounts for the largest share of the automaker's global revenues. The move also comes as Honda is boosting output and adding plants in North America to counter the strong yen.

Honda is planning a $800 million plant in Mexico to build subcompact vehicles, and will produce the Acura NSX at a new assembly operation in Ohio by 2014.

At present Iwamura is a senior managing officer of Honda Motor.

The move is part of a series of executive changes designed to bolster Honda's North American operations, speed decision-making and increase efficiency, the automaker said.

Iwamura will remain president and retain responsibility of American Honda and Honda's North American region. He joined American Honda in April 2007 as president and CEO after a stint as COO of Honda's South American regional operations.

Berkman is vice president of corporate planning and logistics for American Honda's automobile operations and president of Honda Performance Development Inc., Honda's racing company in North America.

He will succeed Hiroshi Takemura, who will return to Japan as deputy director of automobile operations, Honda said.

Art St. Cyr, chief engineer at Honda R&D Americas, will succeed Berkman.

Charles Ernst, senior vice president at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, will become chief engineer of the powertrain function at the North American engineering center at Honda of America Manufacturing Inc... He will be responsible for expanding Honda's new engine technologies for North America.

Brian Newman, senior vice president of Honda South Carolina, will take over as president of the operation where Honda produces all-terrain vehicles.

The changes take effect on April 1. Honda said.

In a separate announcement, American Honda said that Sage Marie will become the chief public relations officer for the Honda and Acura brands, replacing Kurt Antonius, who will retire March 1.

Marie has worked in product planning and public relations for Honda, and was promoted to senior manager with the latest change.

Antonius' duties overseeing motorsports public relations and auto show presentations will be handled by other Honda staffers to be named.