Automotive News - January 21, 2008 - (Page 33)

JANUARY 21, 2008 • 33 American Honda opens workplace diversity office Arlena Sawyers asawyers@crain.com DETROIT — A new office at American Honda Motor Co. Inc. promotes workplace diversity. Honda executives say the initiative will enable the company to compete better in an increasingly diverse U.S. market. Marc Burt, senior manager of Honda’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity, said he seeks to empower Honda employees of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds to feel comfortable expressing ideas. “Diverse ideas will help us create products that are more appealing to people who buy them,” Burt said last week in an interview at the Detroit auto show. “In the future, you’re not going to be able to surround yourself with people who look like you and think like you and act like you,” Burt said. “If you’re not able to get beyond that, you’re not going to bring the kind of performance out of people that allows excellence in business operations.” Burt, 52, previously was Honda’s manager of minority business development. He works in the new diversity office with Gary Kessler, Honda’s senior vice president of human resources. About 20 Honda managers meet three or four times a year to oversee the company’s diversity efforts. American Honda’s Marc Burt: Common terms for job descriptions and titles will help gauge diversity in management. Honda has about 27,000 U.S. employees. Roughly 26 percent are minorities, Burt said. The new office is assessing the diversity policies and practices of each Honda business unit. That review includes Honda manufacturing plants, which operate autonomously, Burt said. The office is creating common terms for job descriptions and titles, he said. Because each Honda unit reports diversity data differently, Burt said, it’s hard to tell which job descriptions and titles apply to senior managers and supervisors. Common terms will allow Honda to gauge its progress in diversifying its management, he said. “If you are a supervisor in a plant, how does that equate to someone in a supervisory role in a sales and marketing department?” Burt said. “We’re trying to create common reporting across all our business units so we can do a better job measuring where we are across North America.” c ■ 50 with Ford Bob Gillingham of Bob Gillingham Ford in Parma, Ohio, receives a 50-year award for Ford from Ford Motor Co. Pictured, from left, are Matthew Gillingham, the dealer’s son; John Schuldt, Ford Motor’s Pittsburgh regional sales manager; Bob Gillingham; and Rob Gillingham, the dealer’s son. Milestones Dennis Trecek and Vern Trecek of Trecek Automotive of Portage (Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac-GMCCadillac) in Portage, Wis., received a 25-year award for Chevrolet from General Motors. ■ 40 with Toyota Chris Hoeye, left, of Big Two ToyotaScion in Chandler, Ariz., receives a 40-year award for Toyota from David Goldberg, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.’s Denver region assistant general manager. ■ 25 with Chevrolet Frank Pastrick, left, of Frank Pastrick Chevrolet in Benton Harbor, Mich., receives a 25-year award for Chevrolet from James Herwalt, Chevrolet’s west Michigan zone manager. We invite news items and top-quality photographs for the dealers section. Please include your telephone number or e-mail address. Dealer anniversary awards: We do not run items for anniversaries of fewer than 25 years. Photos for 25-45 years (onecolumn photos) should include only two people posed shoulder to shoulder. Photos for 50 or more years (two-column photos) should have no more than six people. Please include names (left to right), titles, dealership name and city, franchise(s) held and franchise for which award is given. You may send a photo electronically in jpg format and at high resolution (300 dpi). E-mail items to: autonews@crain.com Or send them to: Dealers Section Automotive News 1155 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207-2997 http://www.Pick-n-ClickAds.com http://www.Pick-n-ClickAds.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - January 21, 2008

Campi will move fast to buy global Ford rolls out new F series — but will it stay No. 1? GM will push metro megastores BMW: We may need a 'green' brand Competition claims traditions German summit Toyota: We have enough plants for now Chinese pitch innovation, not just price Mercedes in, Cadillac out as sponsor of Masters golf tournament Auto show walkaround: Chasing the YIPS around Detroit New Acura TSX will get a diesel Toyota: We'll crack 35-mpg CAFE before 2020 Audi predicts 1 million global sales in 2008 Toyota crosses over into tricky segment LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Digital edition is a 'quantum leap' KEITH CRAIN: Here they come, ready or not EDITORIAL: Incentives war isn't the answer to sales downturn LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Toyota over Chevy? Don’t be too sure DIGITAL EDITION: You did your homework Chrysler concepts show brand tweaks Chrysler: 'Hemi is not powertrain of the future' Some of what we heard at the Detroit auto show Corvette has a future — but maybe a lighter, greener one Nissan exec: Cube is coming to America Subaru relies on new Forester Farley: Ford must groom the market Ford still funds Jag, Land Rover product development Ford will probably develop its new rwd cars in the U.S. Volvo considers North American production Good design: Solving problems, making a statement Horbury wants a more aerodynamic F-150 Hyundai upgrades next Sonata's interior M-B could build C class in U.S. VW hints at vehicles for new N.A. plant Customer demand for CTS sedans strains production capabilities at Cadillac GM to test ZR1 carbon fiber weight savings Honda Pilot has more room, power Indiana plant will boost Honda's flexibility Zetsche sees 20% diesel mix for Mercedes-Benz GM hopes to have E-Flex test vehicles ready by June GM to increase Enclave output Cadillac aims high with Provoq Pontiac to launch G8 marketing in March Big-truck sales fall 43.5% in Dec. Personnel Buckle up for a rocky '08, economists warn Canada sales up 2.4% in '07 Gioia: Ford hybrids will be profitable by year end American Honda opens workplace diversity office Dealers From CDs to Sync: Auto industry races to adapt in-car IT trends Microsoft exec sees a car as 'another room in the house' China's Geely plans plant in Mexico Chrysler exec: China exporters need time Murtaugh: Nissan deal won't affect Chrysler-Chery venture Strike by writers makes TV iffy for auto marketers Super Bowl auto advertisers get pre-game jitters Final Say GM bumps buyout total to 46,000 GM considers U.S.-made Astra Good Karma: Mean, green, fighting machine Purves confirms it: The end is near Rehab for designers: A change can do you good Tata's achievement: Redefining 'cheap' Fans remember auto commercials with sports themes Which brand is stronger — Scion or Prius? Engine advances bring cleaner emissions a step closer Suppliers to the 2008 Ford Focus Varable compression ratio makes a comeback Change the engine's stroke Integrate components to boost efficiency Reduce the size of the engine Eliminate the cams and count the savings ZF expects surge in new orders American Axle's rising son may be another Dauch Honda taps Web for workers Trelleborg unit adds tech center Kia restricts hiring at Ga. plant to Web applicants Magna pursues Ogihara Supplier personnel Age of intelligent transportation is getting closer Plastic spoiler saves weight Automotive News' cartoonist looks at 2007 8 will enter European Automotive Hall of Fame Pininfarina lifted family business to new heights Merciless cost cutter Calvet rescued PSA Opel boys turned bicycle venture into automaker Giacosa fathered the Fiat 500 JCI to supply batteries to Chinese automakers Automakers will spend more on digital ads Ford snares star role in return of 'Knight Rider' GM Certified markets online to Hispanics Writers' strike could benefit auto marketers

Automotive News - January 21, 2008

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