DETROIT -

General Motors announced Sunday that vice chairman and chief technology officer Tom Stephens is retiring on April 1 after 43 years with the automaker.
The longtime executive has headed up product technology for GM since being named to his current role early last year.

GM will appoint his replacement later.

Stephens became vice chairman of global product operations in April 2009 and held that position until February 2011.

His experience with GM also includes serving as group vice president of global powertrain for almost seven years (July 2001 to March 2008) before his promotion to executive vice president of global powertrain and global quality.

Stephens has been with GM since 1969. As part of the student co-op position with the University of Michigan, he came aboard that year as an hourly employee working for the Chevrolet Engineering Center in Warren, Mich.

Stephens would go on to serve in various engineering positions for the Cadillac Motor Car Division as well as several engineering leadership roles for the Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac division. These were prior to his days heading up the GM Powertrain division.

Among the many accomplishments of his tenure with GM, Stephens headed up development of GM’s first Cadillac Northstar engine in addition to leading the development of GM’s advanced propulsion technology strategy.

“Tom Stephens is an engineering icon within our company and within our industry,” said GM chairman and chief executive Dan Akerson. “We have all benefited greatly from his passion, wisdom, and commitment to product excellence. His talent and contributions to GM are deeply appreciated and his expertise will be missed.”

As for his post-retirement plans, Stephens will remain on the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Foundation’s board of directors as well as the Detroit Science Center’s board of trustees.