Oct. 12--Allstate Corp. has hired a former General Motors Corp. sales executive to be its new chief marketing officer.

The Northbrook-based home and auto insurer said Mark LaNeve, 50, will join the company on Oct. 26.

LaNeve previously was vice president of sales, service and marketing at the bailed-out automaker, responsible for sales, brand development and marketing for eight U.S. vehicle brands.

In 2008, GM's market share was 22.2 percent, but it's forecast to fall to less than 16 percent.

In September, the latest month for which LaNeve had been its U.S. sales chief, GM's sales plummeted 45 percent compared with a year earlier. That was the worst performance by an automaker.

Rivals Ford, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda saw September sales dip 5 percent, 13 percent, 42 percent, 7 percent and 20 percent, respectively. LaNeve had left GM earlier this month.

The first sign that his future at GM was uncertain came last July, according to Advertising Age, a trade publication. That's when GM, which recently exited bankruptcy, moved him to VP of sales from VP of sales, service and marketing in North America, a post he had held for four years, the trade publication said.

The automaker then gave Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who had been scheduled to retire, responsibility for all brand marketing, advertising, communications and customer relations.

LaNeve, a 25-year auto industry veteran, will report to Tom Wilson, Allstate chairman and chief executive. LaNeve has a bachelor's in business communication from the University of Virginia. He's a Beaver Falls, Pa., native, and played linebacker for the University of Virginia, according to Ad Age.

Allstate's chief marketing officer role has been filled on an interim basis by Joan Walker, Allstate's senior vice president for corporate relations. Walker will continue as a member of Allstate's senior management team in her corporate relations role.

In July 2007, Coca-Cola Co. hired a previous Allstate chief marketing officer, Joe Tripodi, as its marketing chief. Tripodi had worked for Allstate since 2003. Tripodi had a similar role at Seagram Spirits & Wine Group.

byerak@tribune.com

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