Amid its recall of 1.62 million vehicles for faulty ignition switches, linked to 12 fatalities, General Motors Co. on March 18 announced the creation of a new position, Vice President, Global Vehicle Safety. The automaker named Jeff Boyer, formerly Executive Director of Engineering Operations and Systems Development, to fill the position. GM says his first priority will be to quickly identify and resolve product safety issues. He will be responsible for safety development of GM vehicle systems; confirmation and validation of safety performance; and post-sale safety activities, including recalls. Boyer will provide regular and frequent updates on vehicle safety to GM CEO Mary Barra, senior management, and the GM Board of Directors. With his appointment he becomes a member of the Global Product Development staff. Boyer began his career at GM in 1974 as a co-op student and holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Kettering University. He went on to earn a master's of business administration from Michigan State University. He has been a member of SAE International since 1996.