Big Ed Whitacre Jr., Announces Retirement From GM...We Start The WE WANT BOB Chant��TheGMSource - A pretty big bombshell has just been dropped on the entire GM fanscape. Current CEO Ed Whitacre, Jr., has announced he is stepping down from his post as CEO effective September 1st. Ed will stick around as chairman until the end of the year, at which point GM\'s new Chairmand and CEO will be 61 year old board member Dan Ackerson. Ackerson has been with the GM Board of Directors since July 2009.