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May 31, 2006

GM Power Shop on the Road Again

By Bill Martens
Special Programs Manager, GM Performance Parts

I took my kids recently to Braselton, Ga., for the annual “Year One Experience” — it’s all about horsepower and speed. In case you’re not familiar with this hot-rodding, gearhead crowd, they’re the folks who, when they buy a car, have only just begun.They want to tinker with that car and make it go fast.

We got to see the debut of GM’s mobile Power Shop, which my son called “pretty awesome.” The Power Shop is basically a roaming exhibit of performance power parts coupled with some cool new interactive experiences. First, there’s a fully operational GMPP ZZ572 big-block crate engine that gets turned on every hour. As one hot rodder said, “Nothing like the earth-shaking rumble of a big block V8 with open headers…” That engine draws a quick crowd — all with their fingers in their ears.

(If you want to see a GM Small Block V8 crate engine in action, watch this YouTube clip and see, as one commenter said, “…this 400+ HP car not only kills in a straight line, but it also handles incredibly.”)

Back to the Power Shop. The star of the show is the new drag racing simulator. Calling it a simulator is an understatement. Once you’re strapped into that Super Gas dragster, you are hit with what feels like the real thing. You feel the engine fire up behind you; you do the burnout; stage the car and make a pass! It’s intense, scary and incredible. Best reaction time wins. It’s very cool! If you get a chance, check out the Power Shop. Here’s where it’s going over the next few months:

• NSRA Street Rod Nationals: Jun 2 - 4/York, PA
• NHRA Nationals: Jun 8 - 11/Joliet, IL
• Back to the 50's: Jun 23 - 25/Minneapolis, MN
• Goodguys Nationals: Jul 7 - 9/Columbus, OH
• Texas Heatwave: Jul 21 - 23/Austin, TX
• NMCA/NMRA Superbowl: Jul 27 - 30/Joliet, IL
• NSRA Street Rod Nationals: Aug 3 - 6/Louisville, KY
• NHRA Mid-South Nationals: Aug 18 - 20/Memphis, TN
• NHRA US Nationals: Aug 30 - Sep 4/Indianapolis, IN
• Autofest: Sep 8 - 10/Frankenmuth, MI
• NSRA Street Rod Nationals - North: Sep 15 - 17/Kalamazoo, MI
• 4-Wheel Jamboree: Sep 22 - 24/Indianapolis, IN
• NSRA Golden State Street Rod Nationals: Oct 6 - 8/Sacramento, CA
• NHRA Nationals: Oct 26 - 29/Las Vegas, NV
• Goodguys Fuel & Gas Finals: Nov 3 - 5/Bakersfield, CA
• NHRA Finals: Nov 9 - 12/Pomona, CA
• Turkey Rod Run: Nov 23 - 26/Daytona Beach, FL

Posted by Editor at 4:22 PM
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May 30, 2006

GM’s Buzz-Worthy Cars

The fact that different demographic segments of the population have different preferences as consumers comes as no surprise. College students prefer different types of entertainment, clothing, and music than their parents. Members of Generation X drive different cars than members of Generation Y. Accordingly, the “buzz” surrounding 2006 vehicles differs greatly among demographic groups.

Two of these groups — Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1976) and Generation Y (those born between 1977 and 1986) — rank GM vehicles as being the most “buzz-worthy” 2006 cars among their peer groups. The recently released 2006 AutoVIBES Demographics report, from Harris Interactive and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research, shows that the most “buzz-worthy” new nameplate for Generation X is GM’s Hummer H3, and for Generation Y is GM’s Chevrolet Cobalt.

AutoVIBES examined 49 new nameplate launches in 2005, 25 of which were domestics. "Domestic manufacturers have recently introduced some exciting new products that are catching the eye of many consumers," according to Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com.

Other GM models that fared well in the report: the Pontiac Solstice, which was rated high by all groups for being "exciting," "youthful" and "imaginative”; the Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac DTS, which were the second and third highest rated “buzz-worthy” cars among pre-Baby Boomers (born 1945 and earlier); and the Hummer H3 (again), which was considered the most “buzz-worthy” nameplate among SUV considerers.

Posted by Editor at 1:51 PM
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May 26, 2006

The Importance of Seat Belts

As the summer driving season begins, this recent story from the UAW newsletter of the Marion Metal Center in Indiana vividly illustrates why it's so important that everyone in the vehicle buckles up, every time on every trip.

By John Stanton
UAW Department 61

“This is it, you’re gonna die.”

Those were the words going through my mind as the guardrail was rushing up to meet me – head on. Got a minute? I’ve got a story. A story about how quickly things happen. A story about how precious each minute is. A story about safety. A story about the integrity of these high-quality GM cars we build and the OnStar system that could, at times, be considered a guardian angel.

I’ll miss my first-rate 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT, but the safety systems served me well. Actually, they saved my life. On April 2, 2006, I was southbound on I-69, just north of the Fishers exit, traveling in the inside, or left, lane. Out of nowhere, a truck came flying by on the right, startling me so much that I swerved, overcorrected, and the car tire went off the left edge of the road. I landed in the northbound lanes, hit the guardrail head-on, flipped (sort of pole-vaulted) and then was airborne. It was a wild ride, flipping end-to-end two times, then landing on the wheels and continuing to roll a few feet. It seemed like a long time, but I bet this all happened within 30 seconds or less.

Being caught in a burning car has always been my fear. Thankfully, I was able to reach over, open the door, and unbuckle my seat belt just in case I smelled smoke. Since the airbags deployed, OnStar came through immediately asking if everything was okay. “Well... NO!” OnStar placed the call to emergency personnel, and I know they arrived in less than five minutes.

I have a nasty bruise on my arm from hitting something in the car; the steering wheel I suppose. I received a slight concussion, but a CT scan and 25 X-rays could find no other injuries. The first-class safety integrity of my car saved my life. I was able to return home to my wife, Cindy. I was never so appreciative to see her as on that day!

Listen, I have always hated wearing seat belts. But you know what? It’s just like playing Russian roulette. You never know which trip in your car can turn deadly. It’s a chance that neither I, nor my family, will ever take.

Posted by Editor at 3:17 PM
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May 25, 2006

Vehicle Personalization: GM Is Out In Front

By Nancy Philippart
Executive director, GM Accessories

Many people ask me why I love my job. I tell them, “Because I wake up every morning knowing that I am helping our company change, and keep pace with the changing world we live in.” Consider the fact that consumers increasingly expect their products to be personalized and customized to their exact preferences and specifications. This is evident in our coffee choices, our tattoos, our sneakers, our cosmetic surgery, and, notably, our cars.

Today, vehicle personalization is booming: it’s a $31 billion business. Seventy-five percent of vehicle owners have either purchased, or plan to purchase, accessories for their cars and trucks, and they spend an average of $1,050 per vehicle for accessories such as customized wheels, performance exhaust systems, audio systems and trim/body kits.

Is GM moving the needle on vehicle personalization? Absolutely. Because we know our vehicles better than anyone in the business, our customers can expect the highest quality products and peace of mind knowing that we’ll back them. Add to that the convenience of product selection and installation when they buy their vehicles, and we’re confident that we have a unique value proposition for our customers that the aftermarket can’t touch.

Our approach seems to be working. After back-to-back 40 percent-plus increases in 2003 and 2004, our accessories business was up another 18 percent last year. And our momentum continues again this year: GM’s accessory business is up another 17 percent through April..

The formula for growing our business so quickly starts with the product. Last year, GM became the first automaker to open a dedicated accessories design studio. The studio creates accessories that are designed specifically for GM vehicles, not reverse engineered products that are common in the aftermarket. Since 2002, GM’s accessory portfolio has increased by more than 300 percent – encompassing everything from appearance products like body kits, chrome, wheels and spoilers, to electronics, to performance parts for every enthusiast – crate engines, exhaust systems, and more.

Another key enabler for this growth has been the implementation of our Accessories Distributor Installer (ADI) network — a distribution strategy that has been heralded as an industry "best practice." This network is made up of independent businesses that ensure same- or next-day delivery to customers by warehousing GM accessories and providing sales, marketing and installation support to GM dealers. ADIs enable GM dealers to offer customers flexibility to tailor their vehicles to their unique needs and styles – when they purchase them.

Recently, The Detroit News reported about the Southeastern Michigan Accessory Center, a privately owned, GM-authorized dealer/installer of aftermarket parts, which has greatly facilitated the sale of GM aftermarket accessories by GM dealers in the area.

We know we’re not going to be everything to everyone. In fact, we don’t want to be. But we’re working hard everyday to understand what our customers want, and be the best in the industry in delivering it.

To see more photos featuring vehicle customization, make sure to visit our Flickr album.

Posted by Editor at 11:43 AM
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May 24, 2006

A Launch Manager's Busy Life

By Sonya Moore

I am a GM launch manager currently working on 2007 GMT 800 "classic" pickup trucks. My next launch will be GM’s new 901/902 hybrid pickup.

Being a full-size truck launch manager is extremely challenging because our pickups and SUVs are not produced in one plant, but in seven plants spanning the globe. The role of a launch manager is to plan, manage and execute a flawless launch. We work with all the key players in manufacturing, like General Assembly, Paint and Polymers, Body Shop, Quality, Product Engineering, Powertrain and, most importantly, our plants.

There are very few female launch managers at GM — seven in total — and we’re all doing the workplace-balancing act. But we are putting our own spin on it and doing it with a smile. We work long hours, do homework with our kids over the phone, sing our kids to sleep while in the plant, and then, after working a double shift, still get up early to call home to ensure everyone is up and moving in the morning, or even just to hear a voice say, “Good morning, Mom.” It is only after we make sure everyone is up that we realize that we just had five hours of sleep and we need to dial into a conference call to discuss last night’s build.

Many people look at us and think we are crazy. They question why we would want to be on the road so much and away from our families, or how we are able to juggle the day-to-day demands of work and home. We live our lives in fifth gear, going 120 mph, with the top down, seven days a week. I have raised a daughter who is always running in third gear and she is only 14.

And I bet if you got all of us together, you would find that we all have families that run in third to fifth gear -- but each gear is well oiled, with a support group that is second to none. Like I told someone recently, to work as a female launch manager, you must be an "adrenaline junkie.”

Some ask, “Why do you love this job? There is not a lot of glamour in doing what you do.” For me, it’s like watching something grow up, to see a concept grow into a J.D Power award-winning vehicle, or to hear the media talk about “GM hitting another home run.” Most importantly, I can’t wait to say that I helped contribute to GM’s turnaround and overall success.

Posted by Editor at 1:56 PM
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May 23, 2006

Mission to Louisiana, Part 4

Editor's Note:
This is the final installment of Sue Mead's reports about her recent trip to the hurricane-damaged gulf coast. Sue is a freelance automotive journalist who writes for more than two dozen publications and the Internet. In this case she led a group of 12 volunteers from her church in Williamstown, Mass., to the town of Slidell, La. For a week the group of adults and children lived in a local church and helped residents who are still recovering from massive storm losses. General Motors loaned the group a HUMMER H2 and a GMC Yukon Denali to transport them and their gear during their mission.

By Sue Mead

Our Katrina Mission Team returned home Saturday, May 13th, with our hearts full. Although we were exhausted following our 25-hour return trip, our spirits were high as a result of the work we had accomplished and the lives we had touched. It was clear the blessing had gone both ways, and some of group had already started making plans to return this summer.

The Hummer H2 and Yukon Denali XL had now become our home away from home and, with Alex staying behind to visit with his father in Florida, we had one extra seat on our return trip, which allowed for more legroom! We called OnStar and used "Wanda," our GPS navigation expert, to help us find fuel stops and eating stops, as well as an alternate route through Pennsylvania to the Berkshires. Not only did we make better time, but we also saw some new scenery.

On our last day in Slidell, we wrapped up each of the jobs we had started. The roof for Daryl was completed, a damaged shed was taken down, and his yard was clear of all debris, with the final work crew of Alex, Craig, Hannah and Connie. The indoor painting and installing of cabinets was completed at the Foggs’ home by Krista, Kyle, Chandra, Kevin and Ed. Dave led a team of Jo Ellen, Connie, Ashley, Craig and myself to complete the taping and mud work at Mr. Howard's. It is now ready to be painted. Craig and Connie also completed a "recce" of another damaged home in the area and made a worksheet of needs and materials to give to Brother Bruce for the next mission team. And Royal and Buster's yard was cleaned of debris and a shed was built by the men of our team, along with Pastor Aaron and John, from Ohio, who joined us for our work in Pearlington, Miss.

Adding our work hours together and charging a $10.00 rate for half of them and a professional rate of $40.00 per hour for the carpenters, painters and roofers, I have come up with approximately 600 hours of service and a dollar figure of close to $25,000. I know you would agree, our time spent helping Katrina survivors rebuild their homes and lives was far less about dollars than about simply sharing love.

Since we have returned, I have kept in contact with our 85-year-old-friend Royal. Ashley is in contact with Jannie and Mr. Fogg called Krista this week to see how we are all doing with the flooding in New England. I have a sense that our friendships made will go on for our lifetime.

Dave is busy working on the slide and video show we will give at our church on Sunday, May 28th. We will invite members of the community, as well. Our five youth members were recently interviewed by the local newspaper about their work, and an article appeared this week describing the trip.

We will send a more formal “thank you” to you and all of the GM team that made our drive possible, through the donation of vehicles and the video camera, as well as your support and appreciation for the all the work that remains to be done for Katrina survivors.

Bless you,
Sue Mead

To see where Sue and her team of volunteers went during their trip, please visit our online photo album at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 10:02 AM
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May 22, 2006

Helping the Families of Our Nation's Soldiers

By John Larson
General manager, BPG

All of us look forward to Memorial Day as the start of summer and a chance to get together with family and friends. As we remember our soldiers, we should also remember their families who sacrifice so much.

Some of these families have no one to turn to for help in times of crisis. In support of these families, and as a way to honor our troops past and present, Buick, Pontiac and GMC want to raise awareness and support for an organization of great importance: The VFW National Home for Children. The National Home is a residency program for children of military families without guardians, and also helps single-parent military families who are facing difficulties due to their spouse’s military service, including an extended leave of absence, injury and other circumstances.

The VFW National Home for Children has served military families for more than 80 years. It provides housing, counseling and other critical services for families who have difficulty coping and need assistance as a result of military service. Since 1925, the home has helped equip thousands of individuals and families with the tools to become self-sufficient as they get back on their feet.

One parent, who was a resident of the National Home, had been involved in a terrible accident and could not take care of herself. She lost her memory as well as her ability to walk and talk. She has lived on the campus for about two years now and has regained her memory as well as her mobility.

She had to go back to college to relearn things such as how to type on a computer and other everyday activities most of us take for granted. The National Home assisted her every step of the way. Four weeks ago, she landed a management position at a banquet and catering facility. Hers’ is one of the countless stories from the National Home that illustrate the compassion and support that transform the lives of families affected by military service.

Beginning today, and over the next 10 days, we're going to help this institution and its deserving residents by donating $100 for every sale of a Pontiac, Buick or GMC vehicle in honor of our veterans and their families who need help. While we cannot predict the number of sales over this period, we believe the campaign will raise several million dollars. We welcome others to join us in supporting the National Home, its residents and the soldiers who serve on our behalf.

This is a place that deserves your attention and support. Please visit our web site to learn how you can contribute.

To watch the VFW National Home for Children's ads online, please visit:
YouTube
Google Video

Posted by Editor at 11:55 AM
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May 19, 2006

IMAGINE 2006 – Where Rubber Meets the Runway

Isaac Mizrahi gets his from old Hollywood movies. Marc Jacobs finds his in the fashions of his youth. While a designer’s inspiration comes in many forms, one statement holds true: fashion is only as good as the inspired mind behind it.

This week, one group of aspiring designers found their inspiration in a collection of GM vehicles — the Pontiac Solstice, the Cadillac Escalade, the Buick Lucerne, the Chevrolet HHR, and the Saturn VUE Green Line hybrid. Students at Chicago’s International School of Design and Technology used IMAGINE 2006 as the forum to present more than 100 submitted garments designed to capture the spirit and innovation of the cars themselves.

GM has been the title sponsor of IMAGINE’s GM Fashion Design Competition for the past four years. It’s a natural fit because designers, both in the fashion and automotive industries, are routinely influenced by trends, color, shapes and technology. This annual competition highlights that relationship, and offers students a unique opportunity to display their workmanship side-by-side with the cars that inspired them. As the students’ creations were paraded down the runway in Chicago’s Great Hall at Union Station, the correlation was obvious.

This year's winners:

• Barbara Ketonen, a senior from Elgin, Ill. — Buick Lucerne
• Ana Carolina Cantillano, a senior from Brazil — Cadillac Escalade
• Kristen Lee Arvidson, a senior from Mt. Prospect, Ill. — Chevrolet HHR
• Anna Van Essen, a junior from Sweden — Pontiac Solstice
• Rachel Bommer, a senior from Rockford, Ill. — Saturn VUE Green Line

The winners received a $500 cash award from GM and a $200 gift certificate from an industry wholesale source. Congratulations to all the IADT students who participated. May you continue to be inspired…

To see more photos from the event, please visit our Flickr albums.

Posted by Editor at 11:07 AM
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May 18, 2006

The Camaro Concept – I Finally Get It

By Nellie Lide
The McGinn Group

I'm not an auto writer, an auto executive or even an auto expert. I'm an average auto driver - a regular, middle-aged mom (three kids), with a middle-of-the-road life and a middling interest in cars. I also happen to be a video producer, who had a chance to take part in GM's Concept Car Ride/Drive for journalists taking place this week in Milford, Mich. Disclosure: I work for a PR firm that works for GM, so I had connections that got me in - and now you know I'm probably going to say something nice.

First of all, I thought I was going to a high school track to watch some reporters take some concept cars for a spin around the kind of 400-meter oval my son runs on. Umm... cue Napoleon Dynamite!

GM's Milford Proving Grounds are 4,000 acres: 100-plus miles of roads and tracks and “loopdeloops” that make Fred Flintstone's convoluted highway system seem positively Stone Age. There's one area called Black Lake because when it rains, the 6.7 acres of concrete shimmer like a lake. Black Lake looks like a dozen Disney World parking lots abandoned in the wilderness.

Ok, I digress. Back to the car. So I got to ride in the new Camaro Concept car. I want to publicly apologize to all Camaro lovers who would give their right arms for this chance. I am not worthy.

However, I will say that when Vladimir Rapitinov, one of the Camaro Concept exterior designers, offers you a ride, you are definitely going to accept. And as Vlad waxed lyrical about this car, I came to appreciate and finally understand what all the fuss about this muscle car is about.

Vlad told me that words cannot do justice to a muscle car… that you just know it when you see it, you know it when you hear it, and you know it when you feel it in here (he beat his heart to illustrate).

Though I agree with Vlad that words don't do justice in describing a muscle car, I can't help but try to tell you about this particular vehicle.

Its engine revs louder and louder, crying out to go fast and fast, and faster and faster. Riding in it feels like you're Olive Oyl being swept up in Popeye's bulging arms and carried into a life of adventure (or at least a life where Vin Diesel goes fast and is completely furious). This Camaro Concept car does not have power; it is power.

So to all the Camaro fans coveting this car, I understand. I, a person who does not even know what a V-8 engine is, understand your pain now, the pain of not driving this car. I may not be one of you, or have your passion, knowledge and love, but for one brief moment, I glimpsed into your world of beauty and power… and it was cool. Camaro cool.

Coming soon: Lots of videos from my visit to GM's Milford Proving Grounds.
Want to see more of the Camaro? Take a look at our Flickr album for more.

Detroit Free Press columnist Mark Phelan drove the Camaro Concept and received lots of feedback from his readers. To see the Camaro Concept in action, watch Mark's video.

Posted by Editor at 12:47 PM
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May 16, 2006

Misquote of the Century: What’s Good for GM…

By Brian Akre
Director, Executive Communications & Global Corporate News Department

We got such a good reaction to our recent entry on the Chevy "No Va" urban legend. I thought you might enjoy another that lives on in inaccuracy.

This one involves a famous misquote, one that’s particularly timely today. With all the news coverage of GM’s woes in the past year, you’ve probably come across it more than once. It has been re-used and reread more often than a subway newspaper.

It’s attributed to former GM President Charles “Engine Charlie” Wilson: "What’s good for General Motors is good for the country."

It’s perhaps the most widely misquoted sentence in American business history. Like the famous “No Va” story, it continues to be cited in business textbooks. And it’s so useful an anecdote to imply arrogance that some reporters just can’t resist using it without checking the facts.

Here are the facts:
Wilson appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee in January 1953 as President Eisenhower’s nominee for defense secretary. There was considerable controversy over the appointment, in part because Wilson was reluctant to sell his substantial holdings in GM stock (he ultimately agreed to do so under committee pressure). When a senator asked him if he felt he could make a decision even if it were adverse to the interests of GM, this is what Wilson actually said: "I cannot conceive of one because for years I thought that what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa."

He followed that sentence up with: "Our company is too big. It goes with the welfare of the country."

It’s clear the pesky piece of Latin shorthand (vice versa) gave a certain amount of license to the sloppy to misquote Wilson. Some argue that what he meant by "vice versa" was that what’s bad for our country is also bad for GM. Even if he meant to suggest that what’s good for GM is good for the country, the context of the entire quote is important to understand what he meant -– that how goes the country, so goes GM.

At the risk of being misquoted for the next half-century, I’d argue that what Wilson said then remains true today.

Posted by Editor at 10:49 AM
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May 15, 2006

New Ads Bring Saturn Products to Prime Time

By David Smidebush
Director, Marketing and Advertising, Saturn

For months, we’ve been telling anyone who would listen about our plans to revitalize the Saturn brand. Our vision came to life this spring as the Sky rolled into retail facilities and the Aura, Sky Red Line and Outlook debuted at the New York Auto Show.

Now, we are launching the next phase of our plan: an advertising campaign featuring our new tag line, “Like always. Like never before.”

Our first new television ad runs tonight on FOX’s 24, the CBS season finale of The King of Queens and across numerous other networks. The spots visually tell how we are combining Saturn’s noted customer experience and innovative spirit with an exciting new array of products. The Sky, Aura and Vue Green Line hybrid will be featured in the first spot.

We’re also running an 8-page insert ad in the June issues of leading national publications including Motor Trend, Road & Track, Dwell, Elle and Men’s Health.

The message in these ads is clear. Like always, Saturn is a brand that customers can trust. Now, we’ve got products that feature a new level of design and driving performance…like never before.

Saturn ad on YouTube
Saturn ad on Google Video

Posted by Editor at 4:56 PM
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Make a Difference Day

By Dan Flores
GM Manufacturing & Labor Communications

Americans are some of the most generous people in the world. Whether our giving takes the form of community service and volunteerism, or dollars donated to benefit a favorite charity, giving among Americans is on the rise.

According to Giving USA, in 2004 alone Americans donated more than $248 billion to charities — that’s the most money ever donated to charity. Although corporations and corporate foundations are giving at record numbers, most of the $248 billion was donated by individuals like you and me.

This underscores why GM and the UAW were so honored to participate in a recent award ceremony sponsored by USA WEEKEND magazine, the Detroit Free Press and actor and philanthropist Paul Newman at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources (UAW-GM CHR) on April 25. The ceremony was held to recognize GM and the UAW for their 2005 Make A Difference Day campaign, which benefited Make-A-Wish Foundation chapters in communities across the country. Each year, Newman supports the Make A Difference Day campaign with a $100,000 donation, which is awarded to the charities of 10 people or companies who made exceptional contributions — and this year, one of the $10,000 checks went to Make-A-Wish in recognition of GM’s efforts.

I’m proud to say that the people at GM believe in giving; more than 1,500 UAW-GM people, GM dealers and GM employees took part in the annual Make A Difference Day initiative last fall. For a two-month period that ended Oct. 22, GM dealers were asked to enroll and pledge $500 to help benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The UAW-GM CHR matched the money raised. And in addition to that, many UAW-GM people and GM dealers across the country held fundraising events to make even more wishes come true.

This was GM’s third year of participation in the campaign, which generated funds to help grant 154 wishes for children battling life-threatening medical conditions. To date, the UAW-GM CHR and the GM Make A Difference campaign have helped grant a total of 548 wishes to deserving young children.

A public “thank you” goes out to the men and woman at GM, our dealers and other partners who got behind this effort. It’s good to know that the spirit of giving is alive and well at GM.

Posted by Editor at 10:25 AM
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May 12, 2006

Mission to Louisiana, Part 3

Sue Mead is a freelance journalist who travels the globe test-driving cars and trucks as a photojournalist/feature writer for over two dozen publications and the Internet. Sue is sending reports to the FYI Blog as she leads a group of 12 volunteers from her church in Williamstown, Massachusetts, to the hurricane-ravaged town of Slidell, Louisiana. For a week the group of adults and children will live in a local church and help the residents who are still recovering from massive storm losses. General Motors loaned the group a HUMMER H2 and a GMC Yukon Denali to transport them and their gear during their mission. David Jolin and others in the group are enhancing Sue's words with home video clips of things they see and do.

By Sue Mead

Today was our best day on the job! We have now become a well-oiled team and with the addition of Connie Sheehy and Linda, from California, we finished the roof on our new friend Darrel's home, completed a number of jobs at Ed's home, and prepared for painting at Howard's house. And that was all before noon!

After a great lunch at the church, which included shrimp gumbo, we headed to our good friend Royal's home in Pearlington. Royal lives on a small patch of ground given to him by his friend, Buster. They both reside in small FEMA trailers and were living with brush and junk piles throughout their land, as well as trailer parts that blew apart during the hurricane.

We spent the afternoon clearing the land of all debris, burning brush piles, and to the great delight of Buster and Royal, we built a new shed for them to keep some important items in that had made it through the storm. They told us that they would be taking shelter in this well built shed next time a storm came… or if they loose their FEMA campers.

Chandra and Ashley prepared dinner at the church and brought it out to Pearlington. Buster and Royal smoked a pork roast in an outside roaster and prepared hors d’oeuvres. Aaron and John from Ohio joined us, and contributed the funds to purchase the wood for the shed. We presented Royal with a cake with his name on it, as well as a prayer shawl that was made by the ladies of CBC in Williamstown. Each of our youth was given $50 to share with a special person that, in their eyes, was a victim of Katrina/ Rita. Hannah chose to give hers to Buster. Kyle gave his to Royal.

Despite our tired bodies and our sadness that we are here for only one more day, our spirits are higher than ever when we realized how important our work has been to others and the incredible blessing we have to do this.

Video: Working in Pearlington
For more photos, please visit our online photo album

Posted by Editor at 1:33 PM
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A Catalyst for Economic Development in Detroit

By Matt Cullen
General Manager of Economic Development and Enterprise Services

As many of you know, GM moved into its headquarters at the Renaissance Center on Detroit’s riverfront in 1996. One of our goals in that move was to play a leading role in the revitalization of Detroit’s riverfront neighborhood, an area that had become yet another symbol of Detroit’s decline.

Over the past 10 years, the RenCen, as it’s known around the Motor City, has benefited from more than $500 million of GM investment into the office, hotel and retail spaces. There are now 6,000 GM employees, 4,000 other tenants, and hundreds of visitors every day at our world-class global business center.

But GM’s efforts didn’t stop there. We replaced a section of the building’s parking deck with a magnificent, five-story, riverside atrium called the Wintergarden. During January’s Super Bowl, there was a practice football field in the atrium, and ESPN broadcast for a week straight from the middle of the floor. Thousands of people visited the Wintergarden each day to catch a glimpse of their favorite sports and broadcast personalities. During the rest of the year, the Wintergarden is used for charity events, employee activities, and as a meeting location for visitors from around the world.

In December 2004, GM dedicated the GM Riverfront plaza and its portion of Detroit’s River Walk, which is right behind the RenCen – each of which are important symbols of Detroit’s riverfront rebirth. GM is a driving force behind the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and I’m proud to be co-chair. The Conservancy is transforming six miles of the riverfront, providing inviting places for people to stroll, play – and just as importantly – for developers to have an attractive location to bring new jobs, housing and businesses into the city’s core. When finished, the Conservancy’s River Walk project will include a state park, harbor, port authority docking facility, and waterside green spaces.

GM also owns additional land along the river, which will soon be transformed by an outside developer into a new “urban village,” with residential, retail and office uses – all linked by the riverfront promenade.

GM is proud to play a role in the revitalization of the Detroit riverfront. But our efforts are not limited to the Detroit area. In fact, GM is involved in economic development efforts all over the country. In future FYI posts, we will be featuring some of GM’s other projects in other cities – stay tuned.

Posted by Editor at 10:49 AM
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May 11, 2006

Profile: Trish Hidock

Trish Hidock
Manager, Customer Records, GM Service and Parts Operations

On the first day of this blog, cf posted a comment recommending we profile her former supervisor Trish Hidock (rhymes with drydock). So we talked to Trish and wrote up her story.

It’s 1986, you’re 23 years old, and you’re about to get your M.B.A. from Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. A student tells you a certain company is looking for qualified women to enter the sales field. Okay, you want a challenge. You send off your resume – and you get hired. You will be selling GM parts to dealers in New Jersey and Staten Island, N.Y. You will be driving all the time. The only snag is that you’ve never driven a car or even had a driver’s license. So one week before you start your new job at GM Service Parts Operations (SPO), you get your license and you cross your fingers while you cross the extremely narrow Goethals Bridge into Staten Island.

And that’s how Trish began her 20-year journey at GM. She says that from the start, fellow district managers and dealers took her under their wing and taught her the business. Trish worked for nine years in the field (and moved six times). Her job took her to New Jersey, the Catskills in upstate New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1995, she moved to Howell, Mich., to work in Central Office for GM SPO – specifically the Product Program and Development Group. She first designed training programs for district managers, and then moved through a series of product specialist jobs (Goodwrench Exhaust, Goodwrench Transmissions and, ACDelco Transmissions). She eventually became manager in Goodwrench Service Plus and the GM Parts Incentive Program, then manager in Diversity Marketing before she moved into her current position as manager of customer records. She oversees everything to do with the GM SPO customer records files, including maintenance and updates. With some 65,000 customers, that’s a lot of data management.

As a young girl growing up in Mountaintop, Pa., (the quintessential American small town, where everyone knows everyone) Trish always wanted to ride horses. But with a stay-at-home mom, a dad in the union at RCA and four siblings, there wasn’t money for such luxuries. And for most people that would have been that, a dream left behind in childhood. For Trish, however, it wasn’t forgotten, just delayed. When she turned 30, Trish’s husband gave her a gift of five riding lessons. And presto, Trish went from observer to participant. She’s worked on her riding over the years and now has her own horse, Kane. Trish adopted Kane two years ago – he had been neglected for two years and was in terrible shape when she got him. Kane is happy and healthy now. The two of them will enter some hunter jumping shows this summer. Trish’s husband, Bill, recently took lessons, so now they ride together.

Trish and Bill (who is a naturalist at Indian Springs MetroPark in Michigan) have other adventurous hobbies. They backpack and hike in all kinds of places, (to the top of Mount St. Helens, for example) and scuba dive. They’ve been to Fiji, Costa Rica, Galapagos Islands, and Bora Bora. Trish laughs when people call her adventurous. She says she’s “scared of a lot of things,” although she tries them anyway.

Trish says her favorite part of her job is “the involvement with people,” from dealers to customers. With Trish Hidock, her sincerity and enjoyment of people and life is evident.

To see more of Trish's favorite hobbies and travel, please visit our Flickr photo album.

Posted by Editor at 3:42 PM
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May 10, 2006

Mission to Louisiana, Part 2

By Sue Mead

We spent our first day on the job at the home of a business owner from Slidell who lost all of his equipment and his business when Hurricane Katrina hit. He is now working at the First Baptist Church. Our crew of 12 worked together to strip the roof to the wood on his home, which had damage inside and out, and clean up the debris. It felt so good to be working hard and working together.

We returned to the church for showers and an evening meal and basketball games in the gym (Kevin, Kyle and Alex were stars!), which doubles as the cafeteria for workers and the 250 students who attend school here. We also learned that the church has a meals service and provides outreach meals to 200 area residents affected by Katrina.

During the weeks following the hurricane, this church had a drive-up service for hot meals, ice and water, and other emergency supplies. You can tell we're really impressed by the work this church congregation has done and is still doing, but we are also saddened by the great need that still exists. We feel it is important to get the word out because so many think Katrina is past, and that many of the needs are taken care of now. There is still a great need for volunteers and financial support.

We feel so blessed to be able to come and bring seven young adults, five of who will be reporting back to their schools.

Today is our fourth day in Slidell and we are beginning to know our way around and make friends. There are other teams of volunteers with us at the church from California, Missouri, and Ohio. The church has also been putting up some homeless families.

We got an early start today and hooked a trailer to the Yukon Denali XL to pick up roofing materials to redo the roof we stripped yesterday. Having a vehicle with a built-in tow hitch that could haul all the materials needed made the job go faster since the lines at all the hardware stores are long, as is the wait for the delivery of goods.

Alex was our crew chief as we began the task of shingling. He hails from New Hampshire and came to meet us in Williamstown, with Ed and his son, Craig. We split into two teams early in the day and our second team moved to a new location, the home of a 90-year-old blind man. Again, we found damage inside and out, and his entire interior had to be gutted with new walls and ceilings put in place throughout. Craig, Jo Ellen and Chandra worked putting a second skin coat of compound on the walls. We have also been asked to put in a new hot water heater and reseat the tub and toilet.

It has been a long day. Many of us returned to the roofing job after dinner, when the temperatures were cooler (the first team had to take a mid-afternoon break when the temperatures and humidity soared). After hot showers, the adults will go to bed and the younger folks are planning to watch DVDs.

Tomorrow, we will be joined by Connie Sheehy of Williamstown. Connie is in the South doing work for Williams College and will now come to work with our team for three days. We look forward to her support and hope to meet her in New Orleans, as we planned to tour the city to document the progress as well as the damage that still exists.

Each day makes us realize our incredible good fortune in life, and the blessing that we are able to be here to give a small hand to help others.

Posted by Editor at 3:08 PM
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Same Company. New Tune.

By Bob Kraut
Director, GM brand marketing

There have been many opinions lately questioning the importance of GM: “They’re irrelevant.” “They’re out-of step with what people want.” “We don’t need them.” Sure, we’ll take our lumps for some things that could have been done better, but right now we have a new GM that’s moving fast and offering up some great cars and trucks, with great quality, that are fun to drive. As you’ve heard on the GM blogs before, there are misperceptions out there and we’re working harder than ever to change them.

To tell the story of an energized, confident and transformed GM that is relevant in American society today, we created the “Then and Now” TV ad campaign. The first spot premiered in February during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and has been on the air ever since. The next spot, entitled, “Then Again Now Again,” debuts this Thursday night, May 11, on Survivor on CBS. It revisits GM’s pivotal role in America’s pop culture with historical footage, modern-day celebrities and an impressive line-up of current GM cars and trucks.

“Then and Now” is the right platform to tell a GM story that isn’t being told, and it’s out there at the right time. It’s connecting with America. The first spot actually became “destination TV viewing.” People have been e-mailing and calling us to ask when the spot is going to air next so that they can tape it. CNW Marketing Research data showed that “Then and Now” strongly resonated with consumers of all ages, but particularly among people under 35.

Why is this?

Well, the spot makes people feel good and doesn’t ask much — other than to simply enjoy it.

There are a lot of polls and research that show Americans are worried. Things like world conflicts, higher gas prices and natural disasters (just to name a few) are unsettling us. Americans are seeking reassurance. The nostalgic footage featured in “Then and Now” is engaging and reminds people of simpler times. Someone once told me, “When times are tough, the world looks better through the rear-view mirror.” “Then and Now” taps into that aspect of human nature.

GM’s cars and trucks have long been an inspiration to, and a key figure in, American popular culture. And our new cars and trucks fit just as well into the 21st-century Zeitgeist. “Then and Now” is inspired by our heritage, but also looks forward to the future. It draws on exciting and nostalgic images to emotionally engage people and prompt them to open their minds to think differently about GM and our products.

The second spot picks up right where the first one left off. It illustrates the “star power” of GM’s products through dynamic footage that conveys a sense of fun, energy and style, mixed in with footage of celebrities past and present, including Tiger Woods, Carmen Electra, Jeremy Piven, Frank Gorshin (remember “The Riddler” from the Batman TV series?) and Marilyn Monroe.

If you’d like to see a preview of the new “Then Again Now Again” 60-second spot, click on either of the links below. Opinions about advertising are like belly buttons —everyone’s got one, but really, I’d be interested to hear what you think.

YouTube
Google Video

Posted by Editor at 12:14 PM
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May 8, 2006

Mission to Louisiana, Part 1

Sue Mead is a freelance journalist who travels the globe test-driving cars and trucks as a photojournalist/feature writer for over two dozen publications and the Internet. Sue is sending reports to the FYI Blog as she leads a group of 12 volunteers from her church in Williamstown, Massachusetts, to the hurricane-ravaged town of Slidell, Louisiana. For a week the group of adults and children will live in a local church and help the residents who are still recovering from massive storm losses. General Motors loaned the group a HUMMER H2 and a GMC Yukon Denali to transport them and their gear during their mission. David Jolin and others in the group are enhancing Sue's words with home video clips of things they see and do.

By Sue Mead

Twenty-six hours after departing the Community Bible Church, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, our group of 12 arrived in Slidell, Louisiana. Along our 1,500-mile journey, we saw many beautiful sights and watched the sun set over the mountains of Virginia and rise again in Alabama.

We all thoroughly enjoyed trading spaces in our Hummer H2 and in the GMC Yukon Denali XL donated for us to drive to do our mission work to Katrina victims. Our young adults especially enjoyed the DVD player, the XM Satellite radio, CD players, heated and bolstered seats. We used OnStar to find a breakfast spot along our way and a weather report for the weekend, and we dubbed the female voice of our navigation system "Wanda." She kept us on a steady course and would tell us immediately when we made a wrong turn.

It was shocking to see damage from Katrina as we descended through southern Alabama and drove through Mississippi. Starting at over 100 miles away, there were work crews still clearing debris from the highways.

We were welcomed warmly into our new home at the First Baptist Church of Slidell (see video), which has been putting up 100-150 volunteers a night since September. We are sleeping on cots in rooms saved for our group, including a family room for Dave and Krista, Jolin and their children Ashley and Kevin, as well as a room for our four men and four women. After touring Slidell and the surrounding region and seeing the effects of Katrina (video), we had a much-needed sleep.

Today, we attended church and visited with an 85-year-old man, Royal N. Royal. Royal has lost family and his home in the hurricane, but has a spirit of grace that touched our hearts. We plan to visit him again this week for a cookout and the men will build him a shed next to his FEMA trailer.

After driving a short distance to our work site tomorrow to check out the damage and develop a plan (video) for tools and materials, we have finished a warm and wonderful meal prepared by Chandra and Ashley. We know how many blessings we have and will pray for a good night's sleep as we begin our work tomorrow.

Posted by Editor at 5:08 PM
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Corvettes Blooming in Bowling Green

By Andrea Hales
Bowling Green Assembly

It seems the Corvette is turning heads on —- and off —- the road. Two thousand vibrant red “Corvette” tulips are blooming near the front entrance to the GM Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky.

The Corvette tulip is the creation of an internationally renowned Dutch flower grower who was inspired by the pop song, “Little Red Corvette” on the popular Prince album “1999” from the 1980s.

Only 20,000 of the red flowers were sold worldwide in 2005. The first bulbs of the new Corvette tulip were available in November 2004. The development of this new breed of tulip took 17 years of work.

The introduction of the Corvette tulip coincided with the introduction of the Corvette to the European press. Bulbs were planted during a ceremony at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green at the same moment beautiful red cut flowers went on sale at major international flower auctions for the first time.

Like the vehicle that inspired it, the Corvette tulip attracts a lot of attention both by its famous name and beautiful, stylish looks.

Posted by Editor at 10:42 AM
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May 5, 2006

Our Beloved Family Heirloom

Bet you never thought of a Chevy Truck as a family heirloom -- but turns out that’s what it is for a lot of families. As part of our Search for the Most Dependable, Longest Lasting Silverado Trucks, we’re collecting stories. Here’s a piece of family lore from Scott Burnett in Kansas City, Missouri.

My home town is Arlington, Kansas. I grew up five miles west of Arlington, on a cattle and wheat farm. When I was a kid, we had a 1947 Chevy 3/4-ton, which I still have.

When we cut wheat in June of each year, we filled the back of this truck (we put sideboards on it) and hauled the wheat five miles east to the Arlington Cooperative Exchange. At the grain elevator, a hoist pulled up the front of the truck and gravity pulled the wheat out the back. I remember putting some 80 bushels of wheat in that truck, about 4,800 lbs.

We also used the truck to haul around a 300-gallon gas tank during wheat planting each fall.

I was born in 1951 and drove the truck to high school and community college. In 1970, I sanded and taped the truck, and a farmer friend spray-painted it the lovely color that you see in the pictures. My mom calls it the Purple Plum – but I hate that name.

In 1993 I had it loaded on a flat bed and delivered to my home here in Kansas City, Missouri. I have driven it in parades for candidates and for my own candidacy since that time. I’ve joined the Chevy Truck 200K club – actually, the odometer’s been broken forever, so I don’t even know how many miles are on it.

My family and friends in Arlington can't remember the truck’s history -- but Carolyn’s Essenhaus has been buzzing about it the last few days. My grandfather, Jim Burnett, purchased it in December 1950 and it was used on the farm until 1993. We are not sure of the original owner. The title on the truck is dated 1947, but it takes parts from 1946 – I think that from 1941 to the middle of 1947, all these 3/4-ton (and 1/2-ton) trucks were the same. In the middle of 1947 they changed the body style.

I do see a lot of old Chevy trucks out there, but not too many are in as good condition as our old truck.

Posted by Editor at 10:07 AM
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May 4, 2006

Profile: Lori Wingerter

How does someone with an industrial hygiene degree wind up in the education field? Ask Lori Wingerter. She’s the manager of K-12 Education for the GM Foundation. She started out in Fashion Merchandising at Oakland University and then, because she liked math and science, switched to a technical field.

Lori’s worked at GM for 21 years, making her way from an intern at the GM Research Laboratories through Environmental Activities Staff to overseeing GM’s many education initiatives. Like a lot of moms, Lori works flexible hours, and has for the last 14 years. Her life is filled up with work, her husband (who has his own business), her three children who range in ages from 5 to 14, and various community volunteer activities.

Lori has a “great job,” she says. She and her colleagues want to reach kids, teachers, parents, companies and organizations to widen interest in math and science. They hope to get kids to turn to careers in engineering and science – because GM’s going to need them in the future. Lori’s group shares GM’s engineering expertise in as many ways as possible – by sending GM people out to schools in local communities, by creating three web sites for children of all ages to explore, and by developing curricula that can be used by all sorts of groups.

There are different sections of the GM Education web site, each aimed at a different age group. The grades K-4 section has lots of pictures, games and activities aimed at early readers. In the grades 5-8 section, students can look inside an internal combustion engine, learn about ethanol (and race stalk cars), and see how GM develops concept cars. Education 9-12 has sections on the environment, technology, fuel cells & energy and making vehicles. There’s also a place for high school students to learn about careers at GM. All three sites also have links for homework help.

Lori is extremely proud of the curricula and lesson plans her group has developed. Back in 2002, when no educators were talking about fuel cells,GM saw the need for a teaching module that made the subject easy to understand. So Lori and her team worked with Weekly Reader to develop