Colliver steps away as Honda sales boss

Dick Colliver, who joined American Honda Motor Co. just as a huge sales kickback disgrace was intimidating the concern and who led Honda to reliable sales hit for a decade and a half, has stepped away as executive vice president of sales.

Colliver will become senior adviser to the concern effective April 1.

Reinstating Colliver as head of sales will be John Mendel, a previous Ford Motor Co. and Mazda executive who has been executive vice president of auto operations for American Honda ever since 2007.

Takashi Sekiguchi, who has been executive vice president of corporate affairs and product planning, reinstates Mendel as head of auto operations.

The changes come as Honda is anguishing the same sales challenges as other automakers. After 14 consecutive years of development in America, American Honda saw its sales decline 7.9 percent in 2008.