Suzuki's U.S. chairman to resign

Suzuki Motor Corp. U.S. Chairman Ryosaku "Rick" Suzuki told employees he was stepping down, citing business results.

Rick Suzuki, 60, who has led U.S. operations since 1999, made the announcement in an e-mail Friday, said Jeff Holland, a spokesman for the Hamamatsu, Japan-based maker of autos and motorcycles. The memo didn't elaborate on his reasons for leaving or his future plans, Holland said.

Suzuki's U.S. operations are based in Brea.

Suzuki's U.S. auto sales rose less than 1% last year to 102,000, after three years of gains of at least 11%. In 2003, Rick Suzuki, the grandson of the company founder, predicted U.S. sales would reach 200,000 by the end of 2007.