Ex-GM Executive Bill Hoglund Dies

Bill Hoglund, who headed five General Motors brands during his 36-year career with the company, died last weekend at age 79.

Hoglund was an articulate and straight-talking executive who didn't fit the traditional GM mold but built a remarkable career there.

A graduate of Princeton and the University of Michigan, he began at GM in finance but made the unusual move to operations. He was named general manager of the Pontiac brand in 1980, became head of Saturn in 1985 and was took over as group executive in charge of GM's Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac Group in 1986.

Two years later Hoglund was appointed to run GM's Automotive Components and defense groups, a move he recognized as an indication he would not become president or chairman. When he left GM in 1994, Hoglund was serving as executive vice president of the company's newly created corporate affairs and staff support group.