Kia Hires Ex-Caddy Exec to Head U.S. Sales

Bill Peffer, a former head of sales for General Motors Co.’s Cadillac luxury brand, will take over as vice president of U.S. sales for Kia Motors Corp. on July 24.

Peffer's most recent job was president of New England dealership group Balise Motor Sales. The 46-year-old will fill a job at Kia that has been vacant for more than two years. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Michael Sprague.

Kia sales in the U.S. dropped 10% to 239,600 units through the first five months of 2017, according to Autodata Corp. Peffer's primary missions will be to boost sales and help Saad Chehab, the former Chrysler brand marketing chief who Kia hired in April as its chief marketing officer, push the Kia brand upmarket.