Saturn’s Chief Resigns to Head Boat Maker

Cynthia Trudell, who as chief of General Motors Corp.’s Saturn division was among the highest-ranking women in the automotive industry, resigned to head Brunswick Corp.’s Sea Ray pleasure boating unit. Trudell, who joined GM in 1981 and rose to become head of Saturn in January 1999, took over just as the import-fighting brand was about to start the difficult launch of its L-Series mid-size car, only its second product in addition to the S-Series small car. L-Series sales were a disappointment when the car was launched in 1999, and the division is believed to be losing money. GM said it plans to name a successor to Trudell soon.