Cooper Standard General Counsel Becomes First Chief Transformation Officer
In the newly created role, Aleksandra A. Miziolek will direct transformation initiatives for long-term growth.
June 27, 2019 at 05:48 PM
3 minute read
(Photo: Casimiro PT/Shutterstock.com)
Novi, Michigan-based automotive systems and components company Cooper Standard promoted its general counsel to chief transformation officer on Thursday.
In the newly created role, Aleksandra A. Miziolek will direct transformation initiatives for long-term growth. CEO Jeffrey Edwards said in the press release that the move is part of the company adapting to global changes in the automotive industry.
“Aleks is ideally suited to help lead the organization's transformation, given her deep global automotive industry and transactional experience and leadership capabilities,” Edwards said.
Miziolek joined Cooper Standard in 2014 as the general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer. According to her LinkedIn profile, she previously worked at Dykema Gossett as director of the automotive industry group. She is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School.
Deputy general counsel Joanna Totsky will take Miziolek's role as the company's top lawyer and become senior vice president, chief legal officer and chief compliance officer.
Totsky joined Cooper Standard in 2016 as vice president and deputy general counsel. According to her LinkedIn profile, she spent 16 years working at Ford Motor Co., where she served as corporate counsel, director of legal and compliance and legal director. She also worked as an associate at Miller Canfield. Totsky also is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Law.
Edwards said in the press release that Totsky will be able to smoothly transition into the role of the company's top lawyer.
“In this position, Joanna's extensive automotive legal background, public markets experience and tenure with Cooper Standard, all provide a strong platform for continued success,” he said.
A spokesperson for the company said Totsky and Miziolek were unavailable for comment on Thursday.
Cooper Standard moving its general counsel into a nonlegal C-suite position is part of a growing trend of companies putting attorneys in positions to make business decisions.
In March, Wells Fargo's general counsel, C. Allen Parker, was named interim CEO. At the time, the board of directors indicated he would not be in the running to become the permanent CEO. In May, Carlos Hernandez was made interim CEO of Fluor Corporation and later the permanent CEO.
Read More:
From General Counsel to Chief Transformation Officer: What Can Happen When You 'Never Say No'
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