-- General Motors Co. announced a management shakeup Thursday with the retirement of four senior executives, while the U.S. Treasury Department and Canadian government named the five final members of GM's new board of directors.

GM said today that Gary Cowger, group vice president, global manufacturing and labor relations, will retire at the end of the year.

Until Dec. 31, Cowger will assume responsibility for the integration of Delphi Corp.'s four factories and global steering business being acquired by GM and for the preparation and launch of a new battery assembly facility. The Detroit News reported the facility, which is to be located in Brownstown Township, will be announced next month.

Ralph Szygenda, group vice president and chief information officer, will retire effective Oct. 1, as will Troy Clarke, group vice president and president, GM North America. Also leaving is Maureen Kempston Darkes, group vice president, GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East, who will retire at the end of this year.

She is the highest ranking female executive at GM, and the reorganization will leave GM with no women as group vice presidents. The new eight-member executive committee also will have no women.

In another big change, Brent Dewar, who is GM Europe's vice president, sales, marketing and aftersales, will become vice president for the global Chevrolet brand. Ed Peper, currently GM North America vice president, who oversaw Chevrolet operations, will be named general sales manager, Cadillac sales.

The new board members include Daniel F. Akerson, a managing director of private equity firm, the Carlyle Group. He also has served as a director at American Express, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Freescale Semiconductor Inc., HCR Manor Care Inc. and MultiPlan Inc.

Like GM's new chairman, Edward Whitacre Jr., Akerson is a telecom veteran. He was chairman and CEO of XO Communications. Before that, he also served as chairman and CEO of Nextel Communications Inc.

David Bonderman, a founding partner at TPG Capital and a billionaire, is a former corporate lawyer who has served on a number of boards, including the Wilderness Society and Continental Airlines. He is also known for hiring the Rolling Stones to play at his lavish 60th birthday at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.

Also named was Patricia F. Russo, a former CEO at Lucent Technologies, and Robert D. Krebs, a former CEO of railroad conglomerate Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

Canada named to the board Carol Stephenson, dean of the School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. She also is a director of ING Canada.

Board members will receive $200,000 in cash yearly, plus a company car. The chairman will receive $350,000 a year.

The White House praised GM's new board, which was elected on Monday, but the names not released until today.

"With today's announcement of the final elections to the General Motors Board of directors, the new leadership team is complete," the White House said in a statement. "We are delighted that GM has achieved this key milestone in the restructuring process and are grateful to Chairman Ed Whitacre and all these exceptionally distinguished individuals for being willing to serve this great American company at a critical juncture. We are confident that, under their guidance, GM can achieve great success in the years ahead."

Early today, GM announced Bryan Nesbitt, vice president of GM North America design, is now general manager of the Cadillac brand. The announcement came at a meeting of Cadillac dealers.

Tim Lee, currently GM North America vice president, manufacturing, will become a group vice president, responsible for global manufacturing and labor.

Terry Kline, currently process information officer, product development, will be named vice president, information systems and services, and chief information officer. GM CEO Fritz Henderson has said GM plans to cut the executive ranks by 35 percent and will cut another 4,000 salaried jobs by Oct. 1.

"With these announcements, most of the new GM leadership team is in place," Henderson said. "We expect to have the final round of announcements next week.

GM's new board members have a wide range of experience, as was the case with Chrysler Group LLC's board.

The Treasury Department holds a 60.8 percent stake in GM and has the right to select most of the board of directors.

Last month, the Treasury Department selected Edward E. Whitacre Jr., the former chief executive of AT&T, as the new chairman of GM. As part of the Canadian and Ontario government's $9 billion investment in GM, it received an 11.7 percent equity stake and has the right to name one member.

Last month, the trustees of the UAW's Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association named Stephen J. Girsky as a director at GM.

The VEBA holds a 17.5 percent stake in GM and had the right to pick one board seat.

Girsky is president of S.J. Girsky and Co., an advisory firm based in New York, and a long time adviser to both GM and the UAW.