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June 30, 2006

Photo of the Day

Everyone loves a parade, and the Fourth of July is a great holiday to enjoy such local events. Here are some of our favorite parade-related photos from Flickr to get ready for the holiday weekend.

This photo comes from the albums of Bill Strong. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"Taken at the Corvette show at Fleetwood Farms, London Ontario, June 10, 2006."

This photo comes from the albums of karrelbuck. The picture is from the Brandon, Fla., Fourth of July parade in 2005. Here's what she has to say about her photo:

"Tampa Bay Vettes"

This photo comes from the albums of Kayak49. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"4th of July Parade, Chugiak, Alaska."

This photo comes from the albums of John P Sullivan. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"Reflections of Cyclone roller coaster in the hood of blue converitble Chevelle. Mermaid Day Parade, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York."

Be sure to look at all of featured photographers and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 9:42 AM
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June 29, 2006

“Making a Living” and “Life’s Work” Not One and the Same

By Sue Rehmus

I am grateful to make my living working as a communications manager for General Motors. In my current assignment, I am responsible for all internal communication for the employees in our 25 warehouses across the United States and the public relations efforts for GM's aftermarket brand ACDelco. My position enables me to do what I consider to be my life’s work (outside of my daily job): communicating with families all over the country who must cope with the chronic illness of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

This chronic neuro-muscular disease is so complicated to understand and deal with because its symptoms and progression are very different for each individual. There’s no way to predict which symptoms a person will experience at any given time or in any given combination or how severe the symptom experience will be.

CHUMS — Children’s Hope for Understanding Multiple Sclerosis — is a non-profit organization I started in 1993 to help children whose lives are affected by MS better understand the disease and cope more effectively with it as a component of their lives.

At 22, I founded CHUMS and dedicated it to the memory of my father, Phil Rehmus, who, just three months prior to the creation of CHUMS, died after a 27-year battle with the disease. He was 50.

I was only 7 years old when my mom told my older brother and me that dad had MS. She told us that he had a disease called multiple sclerosis and that it would break down his nerves and muscles, eventually making it difficult for him to do some things. That’s about all the explanation she could give us — she was still trying to figure it all out for herself.

By the time I was 13, dad could no longer walk and was having great difficulty with basic motor coordination with his arms and hands. And by my sophomore year of high school, he was confined to a hospital bed and could no longer feed, groom or relieve himself and had lost the ability to speak.

We cared for dad at home as long as possible. Two weeks after I started my freshman year in college, dad was accepted into a nursing home. At 46, he had the distinction of being the youngest patient ever admitted to that facility.

Growing up and having to watch my dad’s condition deteriorate, I needed an organization like CHUMS. But there were no age-appropriate educational or support programs for children who were affected by this disease.

I was full of anger and resentment toward my father. I was embarrassed of him. I was disgusted by him. I thought he gave up fighting this disease. It never occurred to me it was beyond his control. I felt isolated, uncertain, and afraid. We never talked about the disease in my family and it's just not the sort of conversation in which teenagers engage.

During dad's time in the nursing home, I grew into an adult. I came to realize the amazing man — the amazing father — my dad was. I was fortunate to recognize this with enough time to tell him, change my behavior and mend our once-severely broken relationship before he died.

Upon his death, I knew I had an obligation to do everything I could to prevent other children from growing up with the same bitterness toward a parent simply because they didn’t have an understanding of MS or a support system to help them more effectively cope with it.

Now, CHUMS is the only multiple sclerosis-based non-profit organization in the United States that focuses specifically on supporting a child's need to understand the disease.

CHUMS teaches children about MS with age-appropriate, fun, engaging activities. They learn how MS attacks the central nervous system not through lectures but through games, creative demonstrations and simulations in which they experience common MS symptoms. And CHUMS provides adults with simple, practical ways to talk with their kids, co-workers, friends and extended family about the disease.

On the weekends, I voluntarily partner with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to conduct CHUMS conferences for children all over the country. And I’ve most recently established a voluntary consultative partnership with the Heuga Center, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of people with MS through educational and wellness programs and ongoing research, as well as Direct Health Media, a non-profit dedicated to producing video/DVD, multimedia and web applications used for patient and consumer health education.

To be a communication professional requires exemplary learning agility and adaptability skills. You must be able to learn a variety of things very quickly and be able to adapt your style to the communication style of your various audiences, including hourly and salaried employees, executives, governmental/political leaders, community activists/advocates, trade and consumer media staff, etc...

My communication work within GM has enhanced these skills for me and are easily translated into the compassion and empathy I have for my work with the MS community.

I accept no compensation for any of my MS-related work or speaking engagements. CHUMS is self-funded and self-operated. It's not how I make my living, but I do consider it my life's work. And I’m grateful to GM for enabling me to do it.

Posted by Editor at 2:08 PM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of e.dward.

Be sure to look at all of e.dward's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 9:49 AM
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June 28, 2006

Cars of the Future

Twenty-one years ago this weekend (July 3, 1985), Back to the Future opened nationally, indelibly marking the audience's minds with a souped-up DeLorean that could travel through time, fueled by plutonium and the ever-brilliant "flux capacitor."

Short of time travel, what features would you like to see in cars of the "future?"

Posted by Editor at 5:00 PM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of Fraggle Red. Here's what she has to say about her photo:

"Vintage car from 1955, nicely restored and parked outside The Avalon on Ocean Drive. There used to be a yellow-white Buick there... I am wondering, if somebody was so crazy to re-paint it? I hope this is/was a different Buick Special."

Be sure to look at all of Fraggle Red's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 9:23 AM
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June 27, 2006

The National Corvette Museum and Option R8C

By Travis Parman, Manager
Product Communications, Chevrolet

The Chevy Corvette has inspired car enthusiasts for more than 50 years. Reader’s Digest says it’s The Best Ride of Your Life in its America’s 100 Best: The 2006 List:

Nothing says American craftsmanship like the Corvette, an icon since the '50s. The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, offers great views — or indulge in your own set of wheels (up to $70K). Try the coupe in Velocity Yellow or the Z06 in Daytona Sunset Orange Metallic.

The museum also offers a special option that only Corvette buyers can enjoy.

Lots of folks don’t know that when you buy a new Corvette, you can also purchase Option R8C (for about $490), which means you can pick up your car at the National Corvette Museum, located across the street from GM’s Corvette Production Plant in Bowling Green, Ky. Last year, 773 customers chose Option R8C — that’s more than two a day.

Here’s what you get if you select Option R8C:

• A tour of the assembly plant — you not only see your car on the line, you get to tweak it, maybe put on a few parts, and then drive it off the assembly line.
  
• Your car is then installed in the Corvette Nursery at the museum, where both you and the public can see it in all its glory.
  
• You get a V.I.P. tour of the National Corvette Museum, the only museum in the country dedicated to one single nameplate.
  
• You are given an incredibly detailed orientation on your new car — everything from the navigation to active handling to stability control.
  
• Plaques, decals and photographs.
  
• You can watch others or have friends and family watch you take your Corvette delivery through the museum’s live web cams.

Besides lots and lots of historical and newer-model Corvettes, the museum exhibits what might be the strangest and most intriguing bit of Corvette lore — the ashes of Zora Arkus-Duntov, sometimes often called the “Father of the Corvette.” He chose to stay among his beloved cars. His wife, still alive, plans to join him there after her death.

If you do plan on visiting the museum, but don’t drive a Corvette, you should know that you’re not going to get the best parking — the closest spots (other than handicapped spaces) are reserved for "Vettes."

For more information regarding National Corvette Museum Delivery program, you can contact Gary Cockriel at (800) 53-VETTE or by e-mail at gary@corvettemuseum.com.

Click here for more information about touring the Corvette Assembly Plant. Here's a fun slide show of the museum.

Posted by Editor at 12:31 PM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of millermeteor67 and the 2005 ProCar Picnic.

Be sure to look at all of millermeteor67's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:52 AM
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June 23, 2006

Who Ignored the Facts About the Electric Car?

By Dave Barthmuss
GM Communications

The film EV Confidential: Who Killed the Electric Car? showcased the intense passion for GM’s out-of-production EV1 electric vehicle. I understand why. It was great technology for its day, a great concept and a great car. GM was and is proud to have brought the electric vehicle concept as far as it did and further than any other electric vehicle project attempted by any other automaker around the globe. Sadly, despite the substantial investment of money and the enthusiastic fervor of a relatively small number of EV1 drivers — including the filmmaker — the EV1 proved far from a viable commercial success.

But the story for GM does not end with the final credits on the movie. I’ve been the person who has spent the last few years answering the questions of why GM discontinued the program. Although I have not seen the movie or received an advanced DVD as others have from the film’s producers, I can tell you that based on what I have heard there may be some information that the movie did not tell its viewers. The good news for electric car enthusiasts is that although the EV1 program did not continue, both the technology and the GM engineers who developed it did. In fact, the technology is very much alive, has been improved and carried forward into the next generation of low-emission and zero-emission vehicles that are either on the road, in development or just coming off the production line. For example:

• GM’s two-mode hybrid system designed for transit busses have been placed in more than 35 cities across the U.S. and Canada. Perhaps many have seen these cleaner-burning diesel-electric mass transit vehicles. The buses use technology developed for the EV1, such as the regenerative braking system.
• The Saturn Vue Green Line, which will hit showrooms later this summer, incorporates a new, more affordable gas-electric technology. The Saturn Vue Green Line will be priced at less than $23,000 and offer the highest highway fuel economy at 32 mpg of any SUV, hybrid or otherwise.
• GM is co-developing with DaimlerChrysler and BMW Group a new two-mode hybrid system for passenger vehicles. This new two-mode hybrid technology will debut next year in a Chevrolet Tahoe full-size SUV, which will offer a 25 percent improvement in combined city and highway fuel economy when joined with other GM fuel-saving technologies. Technology born in the EV1 is incorporated into this new two-mode hybrid system.
• GM’s fourth-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, which enhances the technology found in today’s HydroGen3 fuel cell vehicle, (currently in demonstration fleets around the world), will be introduced later this year and will represent a leap forward toward a production ready version of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. For the longer term, GM sees hydrogen and fuel cells as the best combination of energy carrier and power source to achieve truly sustainable transportation. A fuel cell energized by hydrogen emits just pure water, produces no greenhouse gasses, and is twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine. Although hydrogen fuel cell technology was cast as a pie-in-the-sky technology by the moviemakers, GM is making great progress in fuel cell research and development and is on track to achieving its goal to validate and design a fuel cell propulsion system by 2010 that is competitive with current combustion systems on durability and performance, and that ultimately can be built at scale, affordably.

Add to all this GM’s leadership in flex-fuel vehicles that run on clean-burning bio fuels such as corn-based ethanol and our new “active fuel management” system that shuts down half the engine’s pistons at highway speeds to improve fuel economy, and we feel we are doing more than any other automaker to address the issues of oil dependence, fuel economy, and emissions from vehicles. And we are committed to do more.

Lastly, because the movie made some harsh criticisms of GM for discontinuing the EV1, let me set the record straight:

• GM spent more than $1 billion developing the EV1 including significant sums on marketing and incentives to develop a mass market for it.
• Only 800 vehicles were leased during a four-year period.
• No other major automotive manufacturer is producing a pure electric vehicle for use on public roads and highways.
• A waiting list of 5,000 only generated 50 people willing to follow through to a lease.
• Because of low demand for the EV1, parts suppliers quit making replacement parts making future repair and safety of the vehicles difficult to nearly impossible.

Could GM have handled its decision to say “no” to offers to buy EV1s upon natural lease expirations better than it did? Sure. In some ways, I personally regret that we could not find a way for the EV1 lessees to keep their cars. We did what we felt was right in discontinuing a vehicle that we could no longer guarantee could be operated safely over the long term or that we would be able to repair.

In turn, GM engineers used EV1s for cold-weather testing to continue the technology transfer to hybrids and fuel cells. We also donated them to universities and museums. In fact, we donated an EV1 to the Smithsonian and are now being wrongly accused of a conspiracy with the museum because they removed the car for renovation of the National Museum of American History. I can assure you that this is nothing more than unfortunate timing.

So as right and as good as our intentions were, we understand that the moviemakers see them as wrong. We’ll accept that criticism, but don’t punish GM for doing a good deed. Rather, work with us and give us credit for taking a necessary first step in developing technologies that hold the potential to change the face of automobile transportation. That’s what GM engineers are doing everyday.

Posted by Editor at 10:41 AM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of Metrix Feet. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"One of those kind of interesting mistakes."

Be sure to look at all of Metrix Feet's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 9:54 AM
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June 22, 2006

Better Than Par: GM Raises $33 Million Through PGA Tour Events

By Steve Shannon
Buick General Manager

When I tell people what I do, I often receive unsolicited feedback as to how to make Buick better, how to beat the competition and how to change our outreach to potential car buyers. I’m often disappointed that some of our better efforts go unrecognized.

One of the activities that I’m most proud of is what we do in golf. That’s because it does two things very well: it raises awareness of Buick’s quality and design among a great car buying audience AND — this is the bonus — gives us the opportunity to raise millions of dollars for charity.

Golf gives us a great opportunity to give back and be a part of the community. The end result is we’ve built a tradition of giving to many worthy organizations that provide badly needed programs and services for so many people. For example, the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Mich., has generated $7.9 million for southeastern Michigan charities since 1982, including a record $764,000 from the 2005 Buick Open. Since 1992, the Buick Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., has generated $7.8 million for local charities in the San Diego area, including a record $1.2 million in 2005.

All in all, these efforts have resulted in more than $33 million being donated to local charities.

Last year, one of our charity auctions for the Buick Open included a chance to play golf with Buick Touring Professional Tiger Woods. The opportunity went for $26,400.

We’re now in our fifth decade as the PGA Tour’s original corporate sponsor. All of us at Buick are thrilled to have made a positive impact through charity and we plan to build on this success.

Posted by Editor at 1:15 PM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of Tossin. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"Something you don't see everyday. A 1965 Corvette towing a 1958 Corvette. It would be more appropriate if the towed car was a Mustang though. ;) My father and I just finished a frame-off restoration of the '65, he however sold the other one quite a while ago."

Be sure to look at all of Tossin's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:27 AM
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June 21, 2006

Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of blu_iguana. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"Modified Chevy . . . always a draw at the Cruise-Ins! Ain't SoCal great!"

Be sure to look at all of blu_iguana's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:30 AM
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GM Environmental Manager Works and Plays in Water

By Sharon Morton
GM Communications Staff

The human body is two-thirds water.

Sue Kelsey’s body, however, might have a slightly higher percentage of water in it than the average human. She’s surrounded by water during her time at work and during her leisure hours.

As a GM environmental engineering manager, Sue has the responsibility of making sure that GM’s manufacturing operations in southeastern Michigan use water efficiently and do not release contaminants into the water system.

When away from work, Sue serves on the Board of Directors for the Clinton River Watershed Council, which strives to improve the water quality of the river.

Sue’s hobby also gets her into the water. She fly-fishes for steelhead and trout. Her biggest catch was a whopping 32-inch steelhead, caught fly-fishing using a catch-and-release technique, last fall in Michigan’s Manistee River.

“I was raised on a farm and moved to a lake when I was in junior high school,” Sue said. “I grew up hunting, fishing and hiking in the woods. It’s just something I’ve always been interested in, so when it was time to pick a career, working with the environment was a natural choice. Now I work in the field and play in the field.”

Sue calls being an environmental engineer a “lifestyle, not a job.”

“I think you’d find that most of the people working for GM as environmental engineers are passionate about protecting the environment,” she explains.

One of GM’s environmental principles is to “actively participate in educating the public regarding environmental conservation.” This educational component is a big part of Sue’s work with GM.

“We are tasked with educating the public,” Sue said. “People should make good decisions based on science, not emotions.”

Sue participates in the GM GREEN program, which strives to teach today’s students to be tomorrow’s good environmental citizens. Through a unique mentoring arrangement, GM environmental professionals work with local students as they monitor the quality of local rivers and streams and complete associated course work. Last year, GM GREEN engaged more than 8,500 young people in projects that improved the health of their watersheds.

And, like a water cycle, Sue’s life and work comes full circle.

Sue traces her interest in becoming an environmental engineer to a stream behind Holly Junior High School. It was there, as an eighth-grader, that Sue conducted water monitoring, just like the kind she helps students with today.

Posted by Editor at 10:18 AM
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June 20, 2006

Satisfaction on the Job

By Nichole Dean

I am a Performance Development Engineer, working at GM's test facility: the Milford (MI) Proving Grounds. My job here is awesome, to say the least. I am currently testing and developing the Powertrain package for our recently announced Saturn Outlook SUV. This program is very important to both Saturn and GM. With gas prices so high and fuel economy an important part of every car we make, we wanted to develop a truck that provides not only an excellent driving experience but also maintains the fuel economy customers expect. That's where I come in.

Trying to match performance (getting the acceleration you expect when you want it) and fuel economy is challenging. There are so many technologies out there and such stiff competition that everyday you work on something, the bar gets raised just a little higher. When I started this assignment three years ago, there weren't many female engineers in this group. In fact, most of my career at GM has been spent in groups with few female engineers. I can't say whether it’s the challenge of working on something new or the will to strive to show that anyone can be successful at traditionally male-dominated areas of expertise.

Whatever the case, I balance a lot of technical data and drive vehicles lightly and to their limits to determine what our best setups should be. I'm very proud of where we ended up on the new Outlook – it’s the perfect package of excellent drivability and fuel economy. This assignment is proving to be my proudest time here at GM so far.

All the while I've been able to balance the proudest moment of my life: becoming a mom. I'm the mother of a 3-and-a-half-year-old girl. Together with my husband (who works full-time also), I have balanced day care drop-offs and weeklong test trips around the country for this entire assignment. When my daughter was born, I struggled with the decision of whether to go back to work full-time or not. But, it’s in my blood.

I really am not a whole person without working and accomplishing something outside the home. Thanks to a very supportive and involved husband and an excellent day care, I’ve worked full-time since my daughter was 3 months old. I feel I've instilled in her the value of working and making your mark on something. In my own small way I feel like we are changing the world here, designing better cars to move people and families. And I am doing something I love to do and am able to show her how happy and fulfilled I am while doing it. She loves her schedule and misses me when I’m gone — we've had days where I've made "Mother of the Year" and was late picking her up because of a meeting — but all in all it’s the best choice I've made and I would not have done it any differently.

GM has been great to me with allowing flexible work times, and I've provided them with 100 percent focus on making great products. There are so many opportunities to work in areas that fit my interests. If I had a choice for a career change or move, I wouldn't choose any place to be other than here at GM.

Posted by Editor at 11:22 AM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of Mountain Mike. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"GMC flatbed from King Hill, Idaho"

Be sure to look at all of Mountain Mike's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:09 AM
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June 19, 2006

Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of Roadsidepictures. Here's what he has to say about the photo:

"An amusing postcard from the early 1960s. I'd like to have that Pontiac! "

Be sure to look at all of Roadsidepictures' photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:21 AM
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Inspiration for Future Female Engineers

By Grace Lieblein

Some would classify my job as non-traditional. I never saw it that way. When I set out to be an engineer, I never thought of myself as breaking boundaries. True, there aren’t very many of us. Less than 20 percent of engineers are women — a number that grew during the 1980s, but has since leveled off. Perhaps it’s because there aren’t the appropriate role models. Perhaps schools aren’t necessarily encouraging girls to focus on math and science. I see this reflected in the life of my own daughter, who, at her high school in suburban Detroit, is the only female in her computer-aided drafting class. Or perhaps women just don’t understand what my job description entails.

My position as Vehicle Chief Engineer-Front Wheel Drive Trucks for the Product Development organization at GM is one of the most exciting and challenging jobs that I’ve ever had. I could spend a lot of time describing it (and maybe I’ll get a chance to do that in a future blog post), but I’d like to discuss another role that I play as a member of the recruiting team for New Mexico State University — in part because it allows me to tell my story. Since the Las Cruces, New Mexico-based university is part of GM’s Key Institutions Program, our team visits the NMSU campus each year not only to recruit interns and employees, but also to venture into freshman classrooms and offer a picture of what engineers actually do. I especially try to reach the female students of whom nearly 80 percent grew up in New Mexico and nearly 50 percent are minorities; they may have never considered my field. Across the industry, it’s tougher recruiting women into engineering roles and, from my own experience, many Latinas don’t see engineering as a viable career option. I get to show them that there are women in these fields — women like them, who grew up far from Detroit’s cold winters. And not only are we here, we have lives and families.

NMSU’s program is unique because unlike our intern recruits from universities in the Midwest, these students are not just accepting a job, they are relocating to a Detroit culture vastly different from their own. As a Latina from Los Angeles, it’s a move I can relate to firsthand. Two years into my career with GM, my job moved me 2,000 miles and 32 hours from home. Yet despite the differences, it’s with GM I found my place and, 28 years later, it’s a place I still hold an immense pride. At GM, I’ve found a balance between career and family and I’ve learned how to be effective as a woman in a man’s world. If there is one thing I hope to convey to these women during my time on campus, it’s that my qualities as a woman and a Hispanic are what have made me a success at GM, and I believe those same qualities can lead them to success as well.

That thought is what makes my trips to Las Cruces so exciting. My voice might be the first step in one woman’s path to a career that I’ve loved.

Posted by Editor at 9:57 AM
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June 16, 2006

Abby Hughes — Artist in Training

By The UAW Local 95 / GM Janesville Assembly Team

Picasso once said that all children are artists. And we here at the Janesville Assembly Plant in Wisconsin know how true that is. We just held an art competition for the 1,500 elementary school children in the School District of Janesville, and the pieces of art we received were colorful, creative, spontaneous, thoughtful and true.

The theme of the competition was “Working Together to Protect Precious Places.” The children were given the choice of an Earth Day theme or an ethanol fuel theme. Twenty-six drawings were chosen (incredibly hard to choose), magnified and superimposed on a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe built right here at the plant. General Motors then donated the E85-capable, flexible-fuel vehicle to the Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin to help them with their rugged conservation work.

One of the submissions we received was from 8-year-old Abby Hughes of Adams Elementary School. Abby had no idea that her drawing of the earth was a winner until one morning in class she heard it announced over the loudspeaker. She said she was so excited. For Abby, the best part was the unveiling ceremony held at our Education Service Center. The kids got to rip off the paper that was covering the car. Abby said it was “really cool,” because it looked exactly like the drawing she had turned in, “the colors and everything, expect it was on the car.”

We think this was a wonderful way to be part of our community. The full-size SUV was built here in Janesville (Abby’s grandfather, two uncles and an aunt all work at the plant), the students live here in Janesville, and the Nature Conservancy is tremendously active here. We feel that this was truly “local” and yet reverberates globally. That’s what community is, and that’s who we are here in Janesville.

Posted by Editor at 11:09 AM
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Photo of the Day With Dad in Mind

Today's Photo of the Day has dad in mind. This vintage shot from ttumlin's albums is a fun look back at this Chevy Bel Air as we wish a happy Father's Day to all our dads out there.

Be sure to look at ttumlin's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:07 AM
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June 15, 2006

The Times — Again

By Steven J. Harris
Vice President, Global Communications

UPDATE: Here's an interesting perspective, by Josh Hendrickson of the Everyday Economist, on Friedman's latest column that's worth taking a look at.

Editor’s note: Yesterday, Thomas Friedman of The New York Times devoted 1,279 words, a full quarter of the Times’ Op-Ed page, to respond directly to this blog’s June 1 post by Steve Harris, which addressed Friedman’s earlier criticism of GM. That the Times would respond in that way to any blog posting is significant. Here’s Steve’s response to Mr. Friedman’s defense.

Although we have disputed the factual accuracy and reasoning of Thomas Friedman's recent columns on GM, this debate has given us the opportunity to better inform the world of what GM is all about.

First, it’s worth noting that we, and Mr. Friedman, are really not in disagreement on the fundamental issue here: That the United States needs to reduce its fuel consumption and dependence on oil. Enhancing energy security is an appropriate national goal.

Unfortunately, many of his assumptions and the way he proposes to meet that goal are incorrect. He is correct, however, that consumers will increasingly make different vehicle choices, embrace new technologies and adjust the amount of fuel they use as its cost rises.

In other words, consumers are rational and markets do work.

We find it particularly curious that Mr. Friedman dismisses GM’s leadership in producing E85 vehicles as the result of a “shameful federal loophole.” In fact, the federal legislation that encouraged automakers to produce these vehicles is an example of a public policy incentive that actually did what it was supposed to do. It essentially broke the “chicken-and-egg” syndrome inherent to any introduction of an alternative fuel: Which comes first, the vehicles or the fuel?

There are more than 5 million E85-capable cars and trucks on the road today; more than 2 million of those are GM vehicles. The issue now is getting more E85 fuel produced and distributed, and that’s happening. Farmers are forming co-ops to build more ethanol plants, investors are lining up to help out, and we are working with distributors and the government to encourage wider distribution. It’s the market, driven by higher gasoline prices, that’s suddenly helping to build a consensus and momentum for E85.

Granted, E85 is not the complete solution. But it’s an important start — something we can do right now to reduce our oil consumption.

Look no further than Brazil for proof. Just three years ago, Brazil renewed its commitment to ethanol to end its “addiction” to foreign oil. Automakers, including GM, responded with new “flex-fuel” vehicles that run either on ethanol or gasoline. And how much foreign oil does Brazil import today?

Virtually none.

We believe that fuel cell-powered vehicles ultimately will prove to be the solution to ending our oil dependence, and we’re investing billions and making progress in driving the cost of this technology down to make it practical. In the meantime, E85 offers an immediate way to begin our transition away from oil.

GM’s strategy is to invest in many technologies with potential, including hybrid powertrains. In fact, we have put 449 GM hybrid public transit buses on the streets of 38 cities in the United States and Canada over the past few years. While they may get little attention in the media, they’re saving thousands of gallons of fuel every week.

We will introduce the Saturn VUE Green Line hybrid this summer, which will offer the best highway fuel economy of any SUV (EPA estimated 32 mpg) at a price significantly below its hybrid competitors. The Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs with our high-tech, two-mode hybrid system will hit showrooms next year. BMW and DaimlerChrysler have joined GM to produce this hybrid powertrain for their large cars and trucks, and thereby lower the overall cost.

Mr. Friedman questioned how we can compete in a world of $3.99-per-gallon gasoline prices. The fact is, we can and we do here and around the world.

So far this year, GM has sold more than 491,000 cars that get 30 mpg or better EPA-estimated highway mileage in the United States. By comparison, we’ve sold just under 7,000 Hummer H2s and 138 H1s — an aging model that we will stop producing this month.

Put another way, total Hummer sales represented less than half of 1 percent of total vehicle sales in the United States through May, or just 1.6 percent of GM’s total sales. My point is to put Hummer sales into perspective. It’s one of our lower-volume brands, but has a loyal following of off-road enthusiasts.

Interestingly, Hummer sales are up 156 percent this year through May — despite higher fuel prices. That’s because last year we introduced a more fuel-efficient midsize model, the H3, which can get an EPA-estimated 20 mpg on the highway. It has been a significant hit.

Mr. Friedman also was dismissive about the fact that our full-size SUVs have the highest EPA fuel-economy numbers. He cites one magazine that rates Toyota and Honda’s SUVs better overall on other criteria.

Of course, Honda doesn’t make a full-size SUV (Mr. Friedman admits, “I’m not a car expert.”) And actual consumers overwhelmingly rate GM’s full-size SUVs better than Toyota’s. This year through May, GM’s full-size SUVs are commanding 68.3 percent of the segment; Toyota’s Sequoia and Land Cruiser combined account for only 7.7 percent.

Another point that Mr. Friedman raised demands clarification. He implied I was misleading our readers by failing to mention rebates being offered on 2006 Chevy Suburbans and Tahoes. He failed to mention that we stopped building the ’06 models last year before the redesigned ‘07s went on sale, and that relatively few of them are left to sell. It’s common when new models are introduced for automakers to offer discounts to move the older models off the lot — customers aren’t going to pay full sticker for the old model when the all-new model can be had for about the same price.

Again, our 2007 full-size SUVs have been selling very well, without any national rebates.

As I said in my previous post, GM, like Toyota, is a full-line automaker. We offer something for everyone. Ultimately, consumers decide what they will buy based on their own calculation of their needs, desires and budgets.

We’ve been improving the internal-combustion engine for close to 100 years, and we have a tremendous record of innovation. We continue to invest in future technology that promises to get the car out of the debates on oil dependence and the environment.

I again invite Mr. Friedman to come to Detroit and learn more about our research, to speak with our engineers and get a firsthand look at what we’re doing to reach the goal that we both agree is desirable.

Posted by Editor at 3:42 PM
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Finding a Good Fit at GM

By Jodi Theut

Change from the Inside
I sometimes describe myself as a “tree-hugger” and used to work in the environmental NGO (non-governmental organization) community, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I fit in at GM. If you Googled me, you’d see that I’m an alumni of Beloit College and Tufts University, and you’d probably come across my last update in the Beloit Class Notes where I say about joining GM that, “I always thought I’d work toward environmental protection through non-governmental organizations, but have decided to give change from the inside a try.”

I’m now in my fifth year at GM. I am proud to tell my friends about the ways GM is supporting economic development around the globe, and about GM’s environment and energy leadership from fuel economy to vehicle recycling. It was easy for me to join GM because they have a solid environmental record and I have been able to work on programs that match with many of my values.

Not an engineer, but I love this stuff!
I think it’s really cool to be a member of a group that actually works on vehicles. As part of the Powertrain team, I’m involved daily in the distribution of GM-branded vehicles around the globe. I spend half of my time at the Milford Proving Grounds and the other half in the RenCen working on export emissions requirements. I really enjoy seeing the passion of my co-workers, and I’m glad to know that I’m making a difference in the success of the company. I started at GM in the Public Policy Center where I worked on sustainability projects and helped write the Corporate Social Responsibility report in 2003.

Knew I wanted to return to Detroit
I have been known to say that I love Detroit more than GM! If you visit a couple of my favorite Detroit web sites, like detroitblog and detroitfunk, you’ll get a taste of the challenges facing the city, but you can also see some of the development and revitalization going on. It’s an exciting time to be here — the city has a lot to offer — music, the arts, and the opportunity to make a difference in the community. I recently traded in my GMC Envoy for a Pontiac G6 — it’s much easier to parallel park and it saves me on gas, too! While I enjoyed the utility of my SUV (it was like having an extra closet!), I have to admit the G6 is really fun to drive.

Learning a Spanish ballad
A few months ago, I started taking classical guitar lessons — it seemed like a fun way to add a little music into my life; turns out it also provides ample opportunity for character development: patience, discipline, humility… Did I mention discipline? Thank goodness I have a good instructor.

One day, I hope to go on The Amazing Race with my co-worker Bob, play Bach on the guitar, live abroad, and learn how to drive a manual. I’m also a fan of the book Freakonomics. I think it’s interesting because it reminds us that things aren't always what they seem; that the obvious answers aren't always the best answers; that data analysis doesn't have to be boring; and that asking the right the question is often as important as getting the right answer.

Posted by Editor at 11:30 AM
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Photo of the Day

This photo comes from the albums of theorem. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"The 37 Chevy at Bodie from behind"

Be sure to look at theorem's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:25 AM
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June 14, 2006

Sherry Davis, Future Designer

By John Towriss
GM Consultant

Sherry Davis is a lovely young woman… A bright-eyed high school student who attends Redford High School in Detroit. You may never meet her and may never hear her name again. But then again — I have a hunch — you just might, and I’d like to tell you why.

I didn’t know Sherry or her mother until recently, and I only happened to meet them because I was standing next to them in the back of a small, crowded room at the College of Creative Studies (CCS) in downtown Detroit. I’m a consultant who does some work with GM, and I had spent the day at the Design Center speaking with many of the designers, sculptors and animators that work there.

Ed Welburn, the global head of GM’s vehicle design, was there. Ed is one of the busiest men I have ever met. He’s a man who oversees more than 1,000 designers working on five continents. He’s a man who designs his own suits, a man whom many of the designers I spoke to gave credit for the resurgence of design at GM. At CCS, he offered words of encouragement and told the students the practically unbelievable: that he was looking at their sketches trying to find the one good design idea that he could carry back to the drawing boards at GM.

As they called out names to come forward, one of the two young ladies standing next to me shot forward. I hadn’t realized she was one of the honored students. She charged the crowd like a running back into a sea of linebackers.

I turned to the young lady’s friend and asked if she was a friend or relative. She laughed, gave me a big smile and said, “That’s my little baby.”

Then I saw the young woman fighting back through the crowd toward her mother. The young woman was Sherry Davis, as I would later learn. It was a touching moment, but it was the look on Sherry’s face that got me: she was so proud. As they embraced, I heard her mother say, “Don’t cry baby, don’t cry, this is only the beginning for you.”

When the excitement settled down, I asked Sherry how she got into the program. She told me she had always liked to draw and had thought she might like to go into architecture, designing homes. But now, she had been bitten by the auto design bug and she thought that maybe she could make a bigger impact in her world designing cars, not houses.

Who knows? We may hear a lot more of Ms. Davis some day, and it won’t surprise me. I, too, hope it’s only the beginning. Good luck, Sherry. You’ve got me believing.

For more on the event, read about it here in Autoblog.

Posted by Editor at 2:02 PM
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Photo of the Day

This photo comes from the albums of jchennav. This photo shows off a 1949 Buick Sedanette.

Be sure to look at jchennav's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 1:12 PM
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June 13, 2006

Come Take a Look Inside: Lansing Grand River Assembly

By Heidi Magyar
BCI, Lansing Grand River Assembly

Have you ever visited an automotive assembly plant? That’s the first question I ask visitors to Lansing Grand River Assembly (LGR). The next question is more personal: “What do you drive and why?” I’m always curious to hear the responses. They range from “My family has always driven…" to "They have the best quality.” It’s good to start with these questions before they tour the plant because I know their perception of a GM Assembly Plant is about to change.

Twelve years ago I joined the GM team with my own perceptions — I knew more about lawn mowers than cars but took a role as a customer assistance representative helping folks resolve issues with their cars. Oldsmobile taught me about cars and working as a team. Saturn taught me to respect the passion people have for their cars. But, manufacturing showed me what GM is all about — hearts, hands and heritage. And, as visitors touring Lansing Grand River Assembly, I know they will see a glimpse of what I have learned at GM.

On November 12, 2001, the LGR team shared its first Cadillac CTS with the world. Since then four more LGR products including the Cadillac SRX, STS, CTS-V and STS-V are shipping to over 40 countries. During this time the goal of the LGR team has been the same: “To build world-class products that meet our customers’ expectations in quality, cost and delivery by developing and empowering our highly skilled teams. . .” This is a portion of our mission statement. While our plant is young, only five years old, it’s been recognized in the industry with Gold and Silver J.D. Power Awards for quality. This is a tribute to the outstanding workmanship by our UAW local 652 partners. They continue to build on the 107-year heritage of producing quality GM vehicles in Lansing, Mich.

On the tour, visitors see examples of the plant’s flexibility to build very different products at one time on the same line. They see parts being delivered “just in time” to team members by a very automated system. Visitors also see safety as the plant’s first priority; bright lights, polished floors, musical Andon boards, team members in common clothing and warm welcomes. Throughout the plant they see examples of how teams are engaged in the business, working to eliminate waste, and focused on quality.

As the tour finishes, quiet from the group is normal. There is always a pause before the flood of questions. The last question visitors are asked is, “Is it what you expected?” The answer is overwhelmingly “no.” It is rarely what people, ranging from retirees to students, anticipated.

• “I never expected the complexity, and level of training, people need to build a car.”
  
• “Everyone was so busy, no one was sitting around.”
  
• “There were more women than I expected.”
  
• “Where was the dirt and smoke?”

These are the kind of comments I frequently hear and it’s pleasing to know that their perceptions have changed. They are starting to see my GM. It makes me smile because I love my job — it’s in my heart, my hands and now my heritage.

Posted by Editor at 1:21 PM
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Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes from the albums of Photographer to the Cars. Here's what he has to say about his photo:

"Wheels up for a nice '57 Chevy during the Fire and Thunder Meet at Woodburn Dragstrip in Oregon. Luckily thunder didn't come from the sky and the rain let up long enough for everyone to make at least a couple passes down the quarter-mile. I catch a lot of cars redlighting, or taking off too soon, but you can see the green light on the tree above the right front fender here indicating a good start."

Be sure to look at Photographer to the Cars' photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:44 AM
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June 12, 2006

GM Speaks to EcoTalk

GM's Ray Tessier, Group Director, Environmental Services, was recently featured on the nationally syndicated radio program, EcoTalk. Ray discussed GM's landfill-free achievement in its manufacturing operations at Tonawanda Engine and Flint Engine South manufacturing facilities, as well as other environmental success stories. EcoTalk, which is a news program that focuses on environmental topics, is airing on radio stations across the U.S., including XM Radio.

Listen to the show here

Posted by Editor at 12:00 PM
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