Driving Your Communications
AutoCom Associates provides public relations services and counsel on a global basis to businesses in automotive, transportation and high technology
AutoCommunique
AutoCom's Client Newsletter
May/June 2010
AutoCom Associates provides public relations services and counsel on a global basis to automotive and high-technology businesses.
Headquartered in Michigan, AutoCom's team of professional communicators has extensive experience working with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, as well as several European, Japanese and Korean automotive manufacturers and their suppliers. The agency’s principals have considerable international expertise, including work in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
WEBESTO GROUP TAKES OVER KARMANN'S CONVERTIBLE ROOF BUSINESS IN NORTH AMERICA
STOCKDORF, Germany and ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – The Webasto Group, an international automotive supplier of roof and heating systems, has reached an agreement with ...
74 West Long Lake Road
Suite 103
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-2770
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
KEMET ELECTRONICS NAMES BOAN VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
GREENVILLE, S.C., and DETROIT – John (Johnny) Boan has been named vice president of business development at KEMET Electronics Corporation (NYSE Amex: KEM).
Phone:
+1.248.647.8621
Fax:
+1.248.642.2110
Contact us by e-mail
Monday, August 2, 2010
TATA TECHNOLOGIES EXPLAINS NANO FRUGAL ENGINEERING
DETROIT – Tata Technologies, a global leader in Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO), Enterprise Solutions services, and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) today announced that “BETTER INNOVATION on Tour,” its travelling presentation ...
Find information on the upcoming events in the automotive field.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
GKN DRIVELINE OPENS MANUFACTURING PLANT IN TURKEY
ESKİŞEHİR, Turkey — GKN Driveline recently opened a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Eskişehir, Turkey.
"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."
~Andrew Carnegie
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
BEHR’S COOLING TECHNOLOGY BOOSTS ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND GASOLINE ENGINES
TROY, Mich. -- Behr America’s newest technology for cooling engines and batteries is helping automakers develop new electric vehicles and more fuel-efficient gasoline engines.
GKN DEVELOPS ELECTRIC DRIVE AXLES FOR HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – GKN Driveline has designed a new range of electric- drive axles ideal for use in both pure electric vehicles and for converting conventional vehicles into hybrids.
AutoCom Associates provides creative, cost-effective public relations programs and counsel for automotive and high-technology businesses throughout the world.
AutoCom's core operating principles include a dedication to:
AutoCom’s automotive clients include major global suppliers of systems and components to vehicle manufacturers.
The award-winning firm’s field of practice also includes motorsports, education, print and broadcast media, non-profit organizations and Internet-related enterprises.
A key to AutoCom's success is our ability to build a rapport between our clients and journalists. To do this, we provide our clients with creative, cost-effective public relations programs.
Many of these programs have been recognized with awards from major professional organizations and business publications.
Our company strictly adheres to the professional standards and values of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). These values guide our behavior and are vital to the success of our client service.
Honesty
We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public.
Loyalty
We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring our obligation to serve the public.
Fairness
We deal professionally and fairly with our clients, employees, competitors, peers, vendors, the news media and the general public. We respect all opinions and support the right of free expression.
Independence
We provide objective counsel to those we represent. We are accountable for our actions.
Advocacy
We serve the public by acting as responsible advocates for those we represent. We provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts and viewpoints in order to promote informed public debate.
Expertise
We acquire and responsibly use specialized knowledge and experience. We serve our clients and the profession through continued development, research and education. We build mutual understanding, credibility and relationships among a wide array of institutions and audiences.
AutoCom’s commitment to client service is one of the things that sets us apart. The services we provide include:
AutoCom "Tech Crawl"
AutoCom Associates hosted its first annual "Tech Crawl" in July 2004. The award-winning program brings together AutoCom clients and automotive journalists for technology presentations and visits to client facilities in Metro Detroit.
Because automotive manufacturers are turning to suppliers for help with technology development, the media has become more interested in supplier-driven technology development. Tech Crawl offers our clients an efficient, cost-effective way to interact with journalists.
In 2009, more than 40 reporters from the area's top trade, daily and Internet publications took part in the program, which focused on green technology, including a platinum award in the international MarCom Creative Awards and the Automotive Public Relations Council (APRC) Gold Award of Excellence.
The program has won numerous local and national awards for communication excellence.
Automotive Management Briefing Seminars
AutoCom represents a number of automotive and high-tech clients who attend the annual Automotive Management Briefing Seminars by the Center for Automotive Research in Traverse City, Michigan.
To help generate media exposure and leverage client participation at the conference, AutoCom created a special program that includes a client hospitality suite, media roundtable breakfasts, nightly VIP dinners for media, radio interviews for select clients on national networks and major stations and news release packages to place stories in key publications during and after the conference.
An added feature, "Cooking with Jean-Pierre," is an entertaining event that mostly brings together spouses, clients, guests and media with Jean-Pierre Vasaune, director of business development for North America for the Office for Foreign Investors of Belgium's Wallonia region.
International Client Programs and Events
The agency also has conducted highly successful media tours of client manufacturing operations and product development centers in Germany and India. A major tour of client facilities in Mexico is planned for 2011.
AutoCom coordinates and manages a number of client programs in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, including press conferences and media dinners in conjunction with the Beijing, Frankfurt, Geneva, New Delhi, Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo auto shows.
The agency's staff is conversant in a number of languages and its internship programs provide opportunities for students from Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.
NAIAS Charity Night Preview/Client Dinner
Several years ago, a number of AutoCom clients expressed interest in obtaining tickets, transportation and restaurant reservations for the annual Charity Night Preview at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
The agency responded by developing an "all-inclusive" business-social solution. AutoCom clients, their spouses and customers attend a special program that consists of paid-valet parking at an exclusive restaurant for a cocktail reception.
The program includes tickets and transportation to and from Cobo Center for the Charity Night Preview and a client-customer dinner. The event provides AutoCom clients with unique opportunities for business networking.
"As part of our mission to bring together clients and journalists, AutoCom Associates has created several special events. Our award-winning Tech Crawl program, for example, has successfully helped clients develop additional visibility and gain media contacts."
- Lawrence A. Weis, AutoCom President
Larry Weis is the president and chief executive officer of AutoCom Associates.
Prior to forming AutoCom in 1995, Weis served as director of communications for the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), an organization established by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors in 1993 to foster joint high-technology research among the three auto companies and their suppliers. A former business columnist with more than 30 years of experience in automotive and high-tech communications, Weis was public affairs manager for Ford Motor Company’s Ford Division — the auto industry’s largest marketing division.
During his career at Ford, Weis also served as public relations manager at Ford Truck Operations and held similar positions at Ford Diversified Product Operations (now Visteon) and the company’s former agricultural and industrial equipment business (Ford Tractor Operations). Prior to leaving Ford, he helped coordinate the development of Internet and new media communications strategies.
A former director of the Public Relations Society of America’s Detroit Chapter, Weis helped to find PRSA’s Cyberforum in 1994 to provide Internet and high-technology training for area public relations professionals.
A native of St. Louis, MO, Weis was a business columnist with the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. He also served for two years as an agricultural advisor assigned to the U.S. Peace Corps in Venezuela.
Active in a variety of trade and community organizations, he is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), a member of PRSA’s Counselors Academy, a founding member and officer of PRSA’s Automotive Council and a member of PRSA’s National Technology Section.
Weis is also a member of the Automotive Public Relations Council (APRC), the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the Automotive Press Association (APA) and the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). In addition, he serves as an advisor to a number of charitable and cultural organizations in Southeastern Michigan and is a recipient of PRSA’s “Silver Anvil” Award, five National Agricultural Marketing Association publicity program awards and PRSA-Detroit Chapter “Citation” and “President’s Commendation” awards.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in pre-legal studies from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in English from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
Martin J. Habalewskyis a vice president and senior account executive at AutoCom Associates.
He directs the agency's new business development, customer satisfaction programs and media distribution services, in addition to his responsibilities as an account manager.
Prior to joining AutoCom Associates, Habalewsky was a senior executive at Detroit's two largest public relations firms and a regional marketing manager for PR Newswire and Business Wire, the two leading global commercial newswire services.
He also has worked as a public relations account executive at BBDO Detroit, dedicated to Dodge and Chrysler programs.
Habalewsky's other previous automotive clients include Mazda, Kelsey-Hayes Group (now TRW Automotive), FANUC Robotics North America, Dupont Automotive, Hayes Lemmerz, BASF Corp., Ziebart Corp. and SAE International.
His automotive media clients have included Automotive News and Motor Trend magazine. He managed the Motor Trend “Car of the Year” public relations, as well as similar activities for the magazine's “Truck of the Year” and the former “Import Car of the Year” programs.
Habalewsky's areas of expertise include strategic communications, media and financial relations, product and services marketing communications, media interview training, community relations and crisis management.
Accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America, he is a past board member of that organization's Detroit Chapter. Habalewsky is a past president of the Detroit Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and a past board member of the National Investor Relations Institute's Michigan Chapter. He also is a member of the Automotive Press Association.
Named the first "Communicator of the Year" by IABC's Detroit Chapter, Habalewsky was also awarded a "Key to the City of Detroit" for his volunteer contributions to the Accounting Aid Society of Detroit. A guest lecturer at no fewer than six of Michigan's leading universities, he holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of Detroit (now the University of Detroit Mercy).
Habalewsky lives in Warren, Michigan.
Craig Miner has more than 25 years of public relations, marketing communications and event-management experience, providing senior-level communications counsel in communications, as well as in event and sports marketing.
Miner’s multi-industry communications background includes extensive experience in both corporate and agency settings within a variety of industries such as: automotive and automotive supply; international construction and real estate development; tooling; aerospace; trade show and event marketing; metal casting, and commercial lighting.
Prior to joining AutoCom, he was an agency account director responsible for work with clients such as Toyota Motor Sales, Continental Automotive Systems, Intermet Corporation and H.B. Stubbs Companies.
He previously served as manager of communications at BBDO Detroit, where he managed communications activities and served as the company public relations liaison to Chrysler -- the world’s single largest advertising account.
Before joining BBDO, he held a variety of management positions within Visteon’s corporate communications department, including associate director -- Visteon corporate communications. His responsibilities included the management of all communications activities in North and South America and Asia for manufacturing, legal, IT, aftermarket, glass and motor sports divisions.
Miner also served with Textron Automotive Company for five years as director of communications with responsibility for internal communications, media relations, trade show management and customer event marketing, as well as advertising, sales promotion and government-and-community relations.
He began his career at Perini Corporation, a $4 billion publicly-traded international construction management and real estate development company. Located in suburban Boston, he served in a variety of communications positions before being promoted to director -- Corporate Relations.
Reporting directly to Perini’s chairman and CEO, he was accountable for the supervision of all public, media, investor, employee and community relations. Acting as the chief spokesman for the company, he also handled all aspects of the company’s board of directors meetings and annual stockholder meetings.
Miner is a graduate of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., with a bachelor’s degree in advertising.
Jack Harned, APR, senior partner at AutoCom Associates, was formerly responsible for strategic communications for top management at General Motors.
During his 35-year career at GM, he also directed GM’s international public relations programs based in Detroit and European public relations based in London and Brussels.
He previously managed GM’s news media relations in Detroit for automotive and environmental matters and in Washington, D.C. for corporate and regulatory issues.
He also was corporate communications director for GM Hughes Electronics Corporation and PR director for GM’s former AC Electronics Division which included work on NASA’s Apollo program.
Prior to his GM career, Harned was a newspaper reporter in Madison, Wisconsin, and press secretary to U.S. Senator William Proxmire in Washington, D.C.
Harned is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America and was inducted into its Detroit chapter Hall of Fame in 2009.
He also serves on boards of the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Automotive History Collection and the Detroit Association of Phi Beta Kappa.
He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and lives with his wife in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Kenneth A. "Ken" Levyis a senior partner at AutoCom Associates.
Based in New York, he assists in the development of AutoCom's international automotive business and supports client programs in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Levy's public relations background also includes international management experience at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, former North American operations. Fluent in German and able to converse in Italian, he began his career with Ford in 1977 as foreign press and information manager for Ford-Werke AG in Cologne, Germany.
He later joined GM as manager of European passenger-car press relations for Adam Opel AG in Ruesselsheim, Germany and in 1986 was appointed director of news relations for General Motors Europe with headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Levy went on to serve as GM's executive director of International Operations and Media Relations with responsibility for public affairs activities in Europe, as well as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
He joined Chrysler in 2000 at the company's North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., as the Chrysler Group vice president responsible for all of Chrysler's internal, external and product communications. He left Chrysler at the end of 2003 to open a public relations consultancy in New York.
A native of New York City, Levy holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Lynn Koretz is AutoCom Associates’ business manager.
Prior to joining the firm in 2009, she worked in accounting and bookkeeping for several Detroit area companies.
For 23 years, Koretz was in management and ownership positions in the music retail and entertainment industries. During this time her responsibilities included sales, purchasing, bookkeeping, record-keeping, event planning, advertising, staff management and customer relations.
Koretz has also promoted and showcased music artists in her own stores and other venues.
In addition to her AutoCom Associates duties, she is an administrative assistant and bookkeeper with a Metro Detroit certified public accounting firm.
Koretz lives in Lake Orion with her husband.
Tedi Falvo is the agency's major events manager. She also serves as an account associate working with several key AutoCom clients.
Falvo oversees the agency’s special events in addition to being responsible for customer satisfaction initiatives and client services.
Falvo attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette and holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations. She lives in White Lake, Michigan.
Kerry Hokett is media relations manager at AutoCom Associates. She also assists AutoCom’s clients with account management, editorial services, event planning and media relations.
Hokett graduated from Michigan State University in August 2008 with a bachelor's degree in communications from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.
She lives in Novi, Michigan.
Alina Kharchenko is an account assistant at AutoCom Associates.
Kharchenko supports AutoCom clients with international event planning, editorial services and media relations. A native of Ukraine, she is pursuing a master’s degree in international business studies at Nuremberg University in Bavaria, Germany.
She currently lives in Ferndale, Michigan.
Viviane Bajgelman is an account assistant at AutoCom Associates.
Bajgelman supports AutoCom clients with international event planning, editorial services and media relations. A native of Brazil, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in European Studies at The Hague University in The Hague, Netherlands.
Bajgelman currently lives in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Nathan Ichtertz is an account assistant at AutoCom Associates.
Ichtertz supports AutoCom clients with event planning, editorial services and media relations. A native of Santa Cruz, Calif., he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.
Ichtertz currently lives in Wixom, Michigan.
Martyna Mackiewicz is an account assistant at AutoCom Associates.
Mackiewicz supports AutoCom clients with event planning, editorial services and media relations. A native of Poland, she has a bachelor’s degree in English from Wayne State University.
Mackiewicz currently lives in Berkley, Michigan.
Headquartered in Michigan, AutoCom's team of professional communicators has extensive experience working with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, as well as many European, Japanese and Korean automotive manufacturers and their suppliers. The agency’s principals also have considerable international expertise, including work in Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
Experience and Pay
AutoCom looks for interns with diverse backgrounds who can provide public relations support to a range of clients in the automotive and high-tech fields. We offer a monthly stipend or living allowance for international students working in our Metro Detroit office.
The program enables students to:
Develop effective public relations writing tools including:
Assist in planning special events such as:
Learn to:
If you consider yourself an energetic, motivated and flexible team player who wants to work and learn, please send us your resume.
For more information, visit our internship blog at www.autocominterns.blogspot.com
Send your resume by e-mail to Kerry Hokett
AutoCom prides itself on providing complete, effective and professional public relations programs for our clients. We always look for fresh talent to add to our extraordinary team.
The successful applicant will be an enthusiastic, creative individual with a professional committment and strong communication skills.
To e-mail us your resume, contact Kerry Hokett
We are an equal opportunity employer
Respect for Individuals
AutoCom prides itself on providing complete, effective and professional public relations programs for our clients.
Dedication to Helping Clients
We truly care for each client. We build enduring relationships by understanding and anticipating our clients' needs. AutoCom clients can count on us to consistently deliver superior services that help them achieve their business goals.
Highest Standards of Integrity
We are honest and ethical in all of our business dealings, starting with how we treat each other. We keep promises and admit our mistakes. Our personal conduct ensures that AutoCom’s name is always worthy of trust.
Teamwork
We encourage and reward both individual and team achievements. We freely join with colleagues across organizational boundaries to advance the interests of clients. Our team spirit extends to being responsible and caring partners in the communities where we work and live. By living these values, AutoCom and its team members will achieve a standard of excellence worldwide that reflects well on our clients.
©2009-2011 AutoCom Associates All rights protected.
