Tim Kuniskis, head of Fiat Chrysler’s North American passenger car division, unveiled the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat SUV during an online event on July 2, 2020.
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DETROIT – StellarDodge and Ram brands CEO Tim Kuniskis is retiring after a nearly 32-year career with the automaker and its predecessors, the company announced Friday.
Kuniskis, who has led several of the automaker’s North American brands, is best known for leading Dodge for much of the last decade. He is considered a “father” Dodge’s high-performance Hellcat models and “unofficial spokesman” for American muscle cars.
During his tenure, Dodge once again became the quintessential American muscle car brand. The brand has done this with vehicles such as the 700-plus-horsepower Challenger and Charger Hellcat models and the controversial Challenger Demon race cars.
Kuniskis will be replaced by Chrysler brand CEO Christine Feuell, who will lead Ram in addition to Chrysler, and Matt McAlear, who will be promoted from Dodge sales director to brand CEO and member of Stellantis’ top management team. According to the company, the nominations are valid from June 1.
2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170
Dodge
The changes come after Stellantis restructured, including layoffs and cost cuts. It is struggling with U.S. sales, which fell 1.2% last year while the market grew 12.3%. The company was the only major automaker to report an annual decline, according to Motor Intelligence data.
“I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Tim for his passion, commitment and contributions to Stellantis and for setting the vision for the future of the electrified Ram and Dodge brands. I wish him all the best in his retirement,” Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis it was written in the statement. “I am confident that Chris will continue Tim’s work as he leads the iconic Ram brand. Matt will bring a fresh perspective while continuing to build on the heritage of our iconic Dodge brand and lead the brand’s transformation towards a sustainable future. “
Although the company did not invest in entirely recent products for the Dodge brand, Kuniskis, a salesman and marketer, was able to enhance awareness and sales of Charger, Challenger and Durango vehicles over the years. Dodge has often attracted attention by increasing V-8 engine performance or announcing recent “buzz” models.
Kuniskis has been a member of Stellantis’ top management team since the company was formed through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automaker PSA Groupe in January 2021. He also served on Fiat Chrysler’s board of directors, under the leadership of behind schedule CEO Sergio Marchionne.
Kuniskis’ departure is the latest in a series of changes at the company since the automaker’s founding. Recent changes include a reshuffle of Jeep’s top management positions; Head of North America Mark Stewart is leaving to become CEO Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.; and a breakthrough in the company’s international operations behind schedule last year, covering the South American and Asia-Pacific regions, including China.
