Michael Orange, who was hired from Hyundai Motor America in April to run U.S. sales at Stellantis, has left the company after less than seven months, and his responsibilities have been folded into a broader role for veteran executive Tim Kuniskis, the automaker said on Thursday.
Stellantis named Kuniskis U.S. Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately. He adds U.S. retail and fleet sales and the dealer network to his existing leadership of the American brands, the SRT performance division, marketing and retail strategy, the company said.
Orange, Senior VP of U.S. Sales and Network Performance, “has departed the company,” Stellantis said in the announcement. It thanked him for his contributions and wished him well, but gave no reason for his exit and did not name a successor to his title.
Kuniskis reports to Pablo Di Si, who was named Chief Operating Officer for North America and the American brands on November 4.
Seven Months in the Job
Stellantis announced Orange’s appointment on April 16, effective April 22. He succeeded Jeff Kommor, who retired after more than 40 years with the company, and reported to Antonio Filosa, who was then both Stellantis’ Chief Executive Officer and its North America Chief Operating Officer.
Orange joined from Hyundai Motor America, where he was Vice President of National Sales, leading national field operations, sales strategy and vehicle operations across seven regional offices and the U.S. dealer network, according to the April announcement.
He had held management posts at Hyundai since 2008, rising through regional and national sales roles, The Detroit News reported, and became Vice President of West Sales and Vehicle Operations on January 1, 2024, Hyundai said at the time.
He had more than three decades in the industry, including roles at NissanNorth America, Wells Fargo Auto Finance and the First Team Auto Mall dealership group.
“We also welcome Michael, who throughout his career has been recognized for building high-performing teams, aligning strategy with execution, improving dealer profitability, and enhancing both dealer and customer experience,” Filosa said at the time. Stellantis said Orange would focus on retail performance, dealer partnerships and market share growth.
Two Quarters of U.S. Sales
Stellantis issued two quarterly U.S. sales reports during Orange’s tenure, both quoting him. U.S. sales rose 6% to 328,284 vehicles in the second quarter, taking first-half sales up 5% to 634,187. They were flat at 324,277 in the third quarter, compared with 324,825 a year earlier.
In the third quarter, Ram sales jumped 29% to 134,072 vehicles, while Jeep fell 20% to 128,542, leaving Ram ahead of Jeep. Ram 1500 pickup sales rose 73%, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee fell 30% and the Compass 62%.
Chrysler rose 6% to 34,494, Dodge 2% to 26,546 and Alfa Romeo fell 65% to 569. Stellantis’ sales rose 3% to 958,463 vehicles over the first nine months of the year, after falling 3% to 1,260,344 vehicles in 2025, the company reported.
“Against a highly competitive industry backdrop, we delivered a disciplined third quarter, supported by our motivated dealer network,” Orange said in the October 1 sales release, where he was identified as Head of U.S. Retail Sales and Network Performance.
Electric Models Fade
Stellantis’ few battery-electric models in the U.S. sold in small numbers during Orange’s tenure. The Dodge Charger BEV sold 233 units in the third quarter, down 92% from a year earlier. The Jeep Wagoneer S sold 146, down 96%, and the Fiat500e sold 52, down 82%.
The Jeep Cherokee hybrid, by contrast, sold 10,344 units in the quarter, up from 131 a year earlier.
Stellantis took a charge of €22.2 billion ($24.5 billion) in February to reset its electric vehicle strategy, scaling back EV projects, scrapping the Ram 1500 REV electric pickup and shifting its focus to hybrids and gasoline engines, including V8s.
A New Reporting Line
The reshuffle is the second change to Stellantis’ North American leadership in eight days. Di Si took over the region and the American brands from Filosa, who had kept direct oversight of North America after becoming Chief Executive Officer in June 2025, Stellantis said on November 4.
“We will build from a solid foundation, based on strong execution and relentless focus on our customers across the United States, Canada and Mexico,” Di Si said at the time. Stellantis named Jon Nelson North America Chief Financial Officer in the same announcement.
Di Si had joined Stellantis in July as Chief Performance Officer, leading its cost-cutting program, and previously ran Volkswagen‘s North and South American operations.
“By bringing brands, marketing, dealer network and sales strategy together, we’re creating an organization with a clear line of decision-making,” Di Si said on Thursday. “Tim knows these brands, the customers and the company deeply.”
He added that Kuniskis’ “passion and creativity will lead a streamlined commercial organization to help us realize the aggressive targets set in FaSTLAne 2030,” the company’s growth plan.
Kuniskis joined the company in 1992 and has led Dodge, SRT, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ram.
He ran Ram and Dodge until May 2024, according to his Stellantis biography, and returned as Ram Chief Executive Officer in December 2024. In July 2025, weeks after Filosa took over as Chief Executive Officer, he became head of the American brands and North America marketing.
Since his return, he has overseen the launch of Ram’s muscle-truck lineup, the return of the HEMI V8 and SRT, and the Dodge Charger’s 2026 North American Car of the Year award, according to Stellantis.
In July, Stellantis named new chief executives for Ram and Jeep, both reporting to Kuniskis, who had led Ram alongside his broader brands role.
Dodge and Chrysler Leaders
Stellantis also said Bob Broderdorf has returned from medical leave as Dodge brand Chief Executive Officer. He ran Jeep from February 2025 until he stepped away in July, when Stellantis said he would take a new leadership role on his return. Branden Coté succeeded him at Jeep on August 3.
Broderdorf, a 25-year company veteran, led muscle-car product planning for the Challenger and Charger and later Dodge global sales and marketing, Stellantis said.
Matt McAlear, who led the launch of the new Dodge Charger and had run both Dodge and Chrysler, will now focus only on Chrysler as it adds the three new vehicles confirmed under FaSTLAne 2030. Both executives report to Kuniskis.
McAlear added Chrysler and the Alfa Romeo brand in North America on March 5, replacing Chris Feuell, who Stellantis said had elected to leave for personal reasons. Thursday’s announcement did not say who now leads Alfa Romeo in North America.
“First things first. Bob’s back after his recent health issue and that’s the best news I’ve had all year,” Kuniskis said. “And with Chrysler about to go from one product to a real lineup, we need Matt fully focused. You don’t do that part-time.”
Turnaround Under Pressure
Stellantis’ North American business returned to a profit in the third quarter, with adjusted operating income of €64 million ($70.8 million) compared with a loss of €475 million ($525.2 million) a year earlier, as pricing and cost savings offset lower volumes.
Its regional margin was 0.4%. Shipments fell 12% to 357,000 vehicles because of planned production downtime that mainly hit Jeep models, and the company said the “pricing environment continues to be challenging.”
Under FaSTLAne 2030, unveiled on May 21, Stellantis aims to grow its North American volume by 35% and revenue by 25% through 2030, adding 11 all-new nameplates and lifting its market coverage from 60% to more than 90%, according to the investor day transcript.
Stellantis’ U.S.-listed shares closed at $3.86 on Thursday, down 6.1%, their lowest close in at least a decade.
