Gene Stefanyshyn started his career in a junkyard. He fondly recalls, "As a teenager, I spent days in an Oshawa, Ontario, salvage yard that belonged to a friend's father. We'd bombed around in cars, tore things apart, and rebuilt engines for fun. That's where I starting loving cars."

Stefanyshyn says his high school dream was to become a tool and die maker. He took the math and science classes required for college admission and also the hands-on technical courses. "When I was about to become an apprentice, an excellent machine shop teacher took me aside to tell me my abilities exceeded those required to be a tool and die maker," he says. "They encouraged me to try for more. That's when it occurred to me that perhaps I could become an engineer."

The 47-year old Canadian joined GM as a General Motors Institute engineering student in 1976. Upon graduation, he took up corporate finance studies, earning an MBA in 1981. That led to a planning and competitive analysis assignment at GM of Canada while Rick Wagoner was the organization's CFO. Subsequent assignments at Saab and Opel broadened Stefanyshyn's horizons. Under Opel's Peter Hanenberger, he helped lay a foundation for GM's global architectures strategy. Before returning to North America in 1995, Stefanyshyn also created an engineering council for GM's international operations, strategy for Asia Pacific business, and an engineering proposal for GM's China joint venture partner.

Back in the U.S.A., Stefanyshyn's assignment as GM's mid-size VLE was to grab a range of under-performing models by the scruff. His global experience made him the perfect change agent for solving mid-size problems and integrating future models into GM's global product portfolio.

Holden, will be the homeroom for GM's Zeta rear-wheel-drive premium vehicles led by Gene Stefanyshyn.