Who is the Automotive Communicator of the Year? We Want to Hear From You

For far too long, communicators in the automotive industry have not received the recognition they deserve. To right this wrong, the APRC is introducing the APRC COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR award. PR executives will no longer be overlooked.

The award is open to all supplier communicators in the light and heavy vehicle industry. The award is open to any PR/Communications executive of a supplier in the original equipment, aftermarket or heavy duty industries.  NOTE: You do not have to be an APRC member to nominate a person or to win the award.

Nominating someone is easy -- but you must act fast. The deadline for nominations is September 15, 2006. The winner will be announced at the APRC Fall Conference on October 12, 2006.

There are two ways to nominate someone: 1) Send an e-mail to aprc@mema.org or 2) complete a simple entry form at www.autopr.org. If you nominate by e-mail, please provide a brief reasoning for your nomination.

###

Mark Your Calendars Now for APRC Fall Conference – October 12

Another outstanding line-up of speakers will present at APRC’s Fall Conference. The event will take place October 12, 2006, at the Doubletree Hotel in Dearborn, Mich.

Watch your e-mail for more details.

###

ATA VP Mike Russell Dies in Rafting Accident

Mike Russell, American Trucking Associations’ vice president for public affairs, died while whitewater rafting in Colorado during a family reunion on June 15.

Russell, 64, had been at ATA since February 1999. Before that, he had a long career as a television newsman and public affairs specialist.

ATA President Bill Graves said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike’s family and friends.”

“Our entire trucking industry has lost a truly dedicated professional communicator. . . . Mike will be sorely missed,” said D. Mike Pennington, senior director of global marketing communications for ArvinMeritor Inc.

He leaves his wife, Rita; their daughter, Michele, and one grandchild. He lived in Sterling, Va.

The Clear Creek, Colo., sheriff’s office reported that Russell died around 10:30 a.m. local time “after falling out of the raft” while on a trip near Idaho Springs, about 50 miles west of Denver. Rescuers arrived by helicopter but were unable to save Russell, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office. No one else was injured.

An editor at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver reported this “has been a rough year” for rafters and that Russell’s death was the latest in a string of fatalities.

The editor said a winter season with greater-than-usual snowfalls, combined with recent record-breaking warm temperatures, have sent water surging down Colorado’s streams and rivers.

Before joining ATA, Russell served as the director of public and consumer affairs for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Prior to NHTSA, he served three years as press secretary of the National Performance Review, Vice President Al Gore’s initiative to “reinvent government.”

From late 1993 through 1994, he was the press secretary to Dr. Joycelyn Elders when she was the U.S. surgeon general.

From April 1989 to November 1993, Russell was press secretary to U.S. Rep. William D. Ford (D-Mich.), when he was first chairman of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee and then chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

He was press secretary to U.S. Sen. Donald W. Riegle (D-Mich.) from June 1979 to April 1989.

Before that, Russell was a television newsman in Detroit; Flint, Mich.; and Lancaster, Pa.

He was a graduate of Boston University and served four years in the Marine Corps.

###

Audi Names PR Chief

Jeff Kuhlman, 43, has joined Audi of America in the new position of chief communications officer. Kuhlman had been communications staff director for General Motors North America vehicle sales, service and marketing.

Kuhlman reports to Johan de Nysschen, executive vice president of Audi of America. Kuhlman will oversee Audi's public relations staff in its Auburn Hills, Mich., headquarters, as well as in New York and Los Angeles.

###

David Reuter Named to Senior PR Position at Bentley

Bentley Motors recently announced the appointment of David Reuter as General Manager of Public Relations. He joins Bentley following a distinguished career in public relations at the Ford Motor Company, where he held a number of roles within the North American market, as well as assignments in Japan and Europe. Reuter will replace John Crawford, who has announced his retirement from Bentley Motors, effective on December 1, 2006.

###

GM Shuffles PR Staff

General Motors' public relations staff is mixing things up and launching a grass-roots marketing project.

GM moved its head of communications in Europe, Tony Cervone, stateside to be mentored under global PR chief Steve Harris. When Harris, 60, emerged from retirement to run GM's North American PR, it was with the understanding that it would be temporary.

Cervone, 46, likely will replace Harris in a couple of years. He will be a member of the North American strategy board.

Julie Hamp, 43, will replace Cervone as GM Europe vice president, communications. Hamp covered communications for GM Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. She is a member of the GM Europe strategy board.

In an internal memo announcing several other changes to GM's communications staff, Harris mentioned newly appointed heads of a plan he has dubbed the Arlington Project.

It's a grass-roots effort Harris initiated to push GM's successes and build consumer awareness for its products in smaller to medium-sized markets, he says. It's also Harris' attempt to help GM overcome the negative press it has received during its financial woes.

The Arlington Project consists of a team of about 50 people, Harris says. There are 16 cities where one or two people on the team are stationed to do direct marketing, try to secure more favorable press and provide marketing support to dealers, suppliers and other officials. The cities include Sacramento, Calif.; Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Texas; Washington; and Buffalo, N.Y.

###

Discovery Launches New Automotive Brand

Discovery Communications is launching a new multi-platform brand in the United States called TURBO. The new brand will cover everything motorized—from choppers and hot rods to boats and planes. According to Discovery Communications, a new 24-hour broadband channel will launch under the TURBO moniker on July 4, followed by a video-on-demand (VOD) offering in the fourth quarter 2006. In December 2006, a TURBO block of programming will make its debut on TLC. 

"With the success that we’ve had with auto-engineering programming, and our ongoing efforts to create products that appeal to consumers on multiple platforms, Turbo is a natural extension,” said Don Baer, senior executive vice president, Strategy & Development, Discovery Communications. “TURBO moves us aggressively towards providing content to enthusiasts whenever they want an adrenaline boost—online, on air or on demand.”  

###

NASCAR Public Relations Senior Manager Moves on to New Role

NASCAR recently announced that Marcus Jadotte will launch and manage NASCAR’s newly-created Public Affairs department. In his new role as Managing Director of Public Affairs, Jadotte will direct the development and execution of a comprehensive governmental affairs strategy in support of NASCAR’s ongoing initiatives and provide strategic direction to NASCAR’s interaction with community and non-governmental organizations.

“Marcus Jadotte will provide experienced and thoughtful leadership to this new department and will continue to be a vigorous advocate of our sport,” said NASCAR Senior Vice President Paul Brooks.  “Marcus’ ability to develop strategic relationships and build coalitions will benefit the entire industry.”

As part of this role, Jadotte will oversee the NASCAR Diversity Affairs department and its initiatives. Tish Sheets will continue to serve as Director for NASCAR Diversity Affairs.

Separately, Jadotte will also oversee NASCAR’s content development and distribution strategy in an effort to increase the customized content available to NASCAR’s growing national fan base. He will continue to be based in NASCAR’s Daytona Beach headquarters and will report to Paul Brooks, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President.

###

CBS Creates “Rev It Up!” Entertainment for Automotive Service Center Waiting Rooms

AutoNetTV announced today an agreement with CBS in which the network will provide custom programming for the waiting rooms of automotive service centers throughout North America. The “Rev It Up!” brand and content will air exclusively on the AutoNetTV network for customers who wait for their vehicle to be serviced.

The agreement signifies a first-ever partnership with a national television network to create customized automotive programming for the AutoNetTV in-store network. AutoNetTV will continue to produce its own custom reporting segments, focused on helping the nearly 200 million licensed drivers learn the performance, safety and cost-saving benefits of performing regular maintenance services. The AutoNetTV programming helps the aftermarket combat decreasing profits, and to regain a portion of the $52 Billion in annual maintenance services that go unperformed.

The CBS content will include branded segments from CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports, as well as from the diverse array of properties offered by CBS Paramount Television and King World. These spots will feature programs and personalities in brief segments designed for customers who seek a distraction to help the wait time pass more quickly. Segments created by CBS and AutoNetTV are generally less than five minutes in length, and are fast-paced to ensure customer viewing engage engagement.

###

NAM Launches New Radio Program for Manufacturers

The National Association of Manufacturers launched a new public affairs radio program, “America’s Business” with Mike Hambrick, on eight radio stations around the country, in varying time slots.

“We are committed to providing a balanced public forum for discussion of the critical issues confronting business,” said NAM President John Engler, former three-term Governor of Michigan. “Too often, the general media either give superficial coverage to important business matters or present them in a biased context. We will put a spotlight on the really crucial challenges facing our economy, and give equal time to opposing points of view.”

Host Mike Hambrick is a veteran of TV and radio whose name and voice are familiar to Washingtonians. He anchored the 6 & 11 PM newscast at WJLA-TV for four years and was co-anchor and reporter for WRC-TV for four years. He also served as anchor and reporter for TV stations in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Phoenix. More recently, he wrote, produced and anchored “Freedom Line With Mike Hambrick,” a two-hour national weekly radio news and issues magazine program. Guests on that program included Bill Bennett, Milton Friedman, NBC anchor Tom Brokaw, CNN Anchor Judy Woodruff, Willie Nelson, Richie Havens and Clint Black.

“We will cover a broad range of issues in America’s Business, beginning this week with clips from President Bush’s address to the NAM last Thursday,” said Hambrick. “We will be talking to policy makers in Washington and factory managers on shop floors. We will talk about soaring energy prices, runaway litigation, failing schools, unaffordable health insurance, and a level international playing field.  Anything and everything that impacts the way America does business will be fair game.

Engler said the NAM was especially pleased to have a journalist of Hambrick’s stature anchoring America’s Business. “Mike is well known in Washington and around the country through his extensive work in TV and radio,” Engler said. “He is a seasoned veteran with a lifelong commitment to a balanced presentation of news and commentary. This is a first class public affairs program and I urge everyone to give it a listen.”

###