GM Recalls Certain Buick Envisions

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Aug 042016
 
2016 Buick Envision

2016 Buick Envision

When it comes to automotive recalls, issuing one sooner rather than later is always the wiser course. Latino Traffic Report has learned that General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles manufactured February 4, 2016, to April 25, 2016. The Tire and Loading Information label may display the incorrect maximum weight information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, “Tire Selection and Rims.”

Incorrect weight information may cause an owner to overload the vehicle. Overloading may reduce vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

2016 Buick EnvisionGM will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM’s number for this recall is 56340.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

GM Expands Career Re-Entry Program

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Jun 212016
 

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Did you leave a career in the auto industry only to discover that you miss it? Latino Traffic Report has learned that General Motors will expand its popular twelve-week career re-entry internship this fall. Paid internships will begin in mid-September and will be available in GM’s information technology, manufacturing and engineering functions.

Take 2 is an opportunity for professionals with technical backgrounds who took a career break of two or more years and are interested in returning to the workforce. This 12-week “audition” will prepare experienced interns for a full-time career in one of several fields at GM through training, professional development and networking opportunities.

“The pilot of ten interns this spring was so successful, we jumped at the chance to utilize this program to add experienced IT team members to our organization,” said Sue Brann, chief administration officer at GM’s Austin Innovation Center.

The fall program will offer positions at GM’s southeast Michigan campuses, including Warren, Milford and Pontiac, as well as the company’s IT innovation center in Austin, Texas.

“As the executive sponsor of the Take 2 program, I am so pleased with how our organization has embraced the idea of welcoming experienced professionals into our company,” said Kristen Siemen, executive director, Global Thermal Engineering. “They bring an incredible breadth of experience, both professional and personal, to these positions. I look forward to expanding the program to other parts of our business in this next chapter.”

Available positions for the fall Take 2 program are currently posted. Interested applicants can visit the GM Careers website for more information.

HACR Honors GM Latinos in STEM

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May 112016
 
Alexandra Figueroa and Tony Argote were among 35 young professionals recognized nationally for their leadership by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR).

Alexandra Figueroa and Tony Argote were among 35 young professionals recognized nationally for their leadership by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR).

Latino Traffic Report has learned that two GM young Latino professionals—a software developer and an automotive engineer—were among 35 young professionals recognized nationally for their leadership by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR).

Tony Argote and Alexandra Figueroa were named Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers (YHCA) at HACR’s Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Program, a four-day leadership program that concluded Tuesday with a special awards ceremony and celebratory tenth anniversary reception at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C. They were the only STEM professionals from the auto industry.

“The GM family congratulates Tony and Alexandra on this remarkable honor,” said Ken Barrett, GM global chief diversity officer. “Latino engineers and IT professionals are vital to the future of our industry.  Their accomplishments can serve as an example and an inspiration for other Latinos.”

Tony Argote, Program Engineering Manager for Autonomous Technologies, was named a Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever at HACR’s Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Program in Washington, D.C.

Tony Argote, Program Engineering Manager for Autonomous Technologies, was named a Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever at HACR’s Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Program in Washington, D.C.

The annual program recognizes young Hispanics at Fortune 500 and/or HACR Corporate Member companies who are selected from a competitive application process after being nominated by their companies. Once selected, the young executives participate in an intensive multi-day leadership development, education, and training program.

“We are very proud of our tenth class of the HACR Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Program,” asserted Cid Wilson, HACR president and CEO. “Each year this program highlights the future leaders of Corporate America. Over the last ten years, many of the past HACR YHCA participants have gone on to become corporate executives at Fortune 500 companies with some serving on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies.”

Son of Cuban immigrants, Argote is the first in his family to obtain a college degree. He started his career at GM in 2005, when he arrived as a student participating in the cooperative education program through the Georgia Institute of Technology. After his first assignment working on the corporate fuel economy model, he worked on vehicle electrification, and then development of the next generation of full size light duty pickup trucks.  Now part of the autonomous vehicles team as the program engineering manager for autonomous technologies, Argote helps lead STEM initiatives at GM and in the community.

In the summer of 2009, he helped found Green Place Detroit, a non-profit organization focused on volunteering after school and on weekends at a predominantly Hispanic middle and high school in Southeast Detroit. The program focuses on demonstrations of STEM and sustainability concepts through building and maintaining an urban garden.

“I’m honored to join the ranks of all the great Latinos who have received this recognition,” Argote said. “I am grateful to GM and to the HACR board for all they do to develop young professionals’ leadership skills and introduce us to a network of professionals who are committed to promoting Hispanic empowerment.”

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Alexandra Figueroa, a senior software developer at the GM Innovation Center in Chandler, was named a Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever at HACR’s Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Program in Washington, D.C.

Figueroa, a senior software developer at the Innovation Center in Chandler, Ariz., has made a strong impact in her two short years at GM. She moved from Puerto Rico in 1999 to earn a master’s degree in computer science at DePaul University in Chicago. She made her way to Arizona where General Motors was opening one of four new innovation centers in the country in 2014.

Passionate about creating awareness about STEM careers among Latinas, Figueroa leads the Hispanic Initiative Team in Chandler and is also involved in recruiting efforts around the country and at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She frequently leads STEM workshops in her community and a few weeks ago, she helped open a technology center in Phoenix for underprivileged Latino youth.

“As a Latina in IT, I am gratified and humbled to receive this recognition,” Figueroa said. “I do everything I can to inspire other Latinos to go into STEM fields of study or a STEM career. It is my hope that this recognition helps further that message even further.”

To qualify for the HACR YHCA Program, candidates must be of Hispanic origin, between the ages of 25–40 at the time the award is received, and must also be employed at Fortune 500 and/or HACR Corporate Member companies. Finalists are selected based on their demonstrated leadership qualities, achievements within their respective corporations, and proven commitment to the Hispanic community.

GM Recalls Certain Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, and GMC Models

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Oct 172015
 
2015 Camaro

2015 Camaro

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.

2015 Cadillac XTS

2015 Cadillac XTS

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag’s inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 19, 2015. Owners may contact

 

2015 Buick LaCrosse

2015 Buick LaCrosse

Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM’s number for this recall is 01320.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

GM Foundation Grants $1 Million to Hispanic Groups

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Sep 102015
 
The General Motors Foundation presents grants totaling $1 million to fund Hispanic education and science, technology, engineering and math initiatives to help empower young Latinos to join the workforce of the future, Thursday, September 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. Nineteen leading Hispanic groups will receive grants to fund programs focused on STEM education. (Photo by Mark Finkenstaedt for General Motors)

The General Motors Foundation presents grants totaling $1 million to fund Hispanic education and science, technology, engineering and math initiatives to help empower young Latinos to join the workforce of the future, Thursday, September 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. Nineteen leading Hispanic groups will receive grants to fund programs focused on STEM education. (Photo by Mark Finkenstaedt for General Motors)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The General Motors Foundation today announced grants totaling $1 million to fund Hispanic education and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives to help empower young Latinos to join the workforce of the future.

Grace Lieblein, General Motors vice president of Global Quality and the highest ranking Latina at GM, announced the grants during a press conference at the National Press Club, where she was joined by GM Foundation Vice President Lori Wingerter, Chief Diversity Officer Ken Barrett, U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., and representatives from Hispanic organizations.

“Hispanics represent an important facet of our business as the next generation of leaders and innovators, and also our customers,” Lieblein said. “At GM, we want to help fund vital programs aimed at increasing opportunities for Latinos to pursue STEM careers and strengthen their skills to compete for jobs.”

The grants benefit the nation’s leading Hispanic organizations, including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) and Service Employment Redevelopment (SER) National.

General Motors Vice President Global Quality Grace Lieblein announces grants on behalf of the GM Foundation totaling $1 million to fund Hispanic education and science, technology, engineering and math initiatives to help empower young Latinos to join the workforce of the future, Thursday, September 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. Nineteen leading Hispanic groups will receive grants to fund programs focused on STEM education. Looking on are GM Chief Diversity Officer Ken Barrett (center) and U.S. Representative Tony

General Motors Vice President Global Quality Grace Lieblein announces grants on behalf of the GM Foundation totaling $1 million to fund Hispanic education and science, technology, engineering and math initiatives to help empower young Latinos to join the workforce of the future, Thursday, September 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. Nineteen leading Hispanic groups will receive grants to fund programs focused on STEM education.

Cárdenas, who represents California’s San Fernando Valley, said the grants will help increase the small number of Latino STEM graduates from U.S. colleges, helping to put more Americans into the family-wage jobs of the future.

“As the President has said, America can only succeed when we are playing with a full team. That means ensuring that everyone in our country has a great chance to not only learn, but also to succeed,” he said.

For decades, GM and its philanthropic foundation have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to organizations across the country and around the world. These grants focus on advancing access to education through programs such as the Buick Achievers Scholarship, one of the largest programs of its kind in the country.

“We recognize the increasing importance of investing in the education and empowerment of Hispanic youth,” said Wingerter of the GM Foundation. “Through these grants, we hope to make a lasting difference in their lives and in their communities.”

Nineteen leading Hispanic groups will receive grants to fund programs focused on STEM education, including:

  • League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) – will expand its Empower Hispanic America with Technology (EHAT) initiative, which provides access to state-of-the-art technologies in 60 Hispanic communities across the United States. The centers will provide STEM related student support services to five EHAT sites to help improve high school STEM achievement among Hispanic youth.
  • National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – As part of its Special Initiative, NCLR will develop a new component within its successful Lideres program, facilitating professional development opportunities for 18-to-24 year-old Latinos and helping students gain leadership skills required for midlevel positions in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors.
  • Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) – CHCI will invest in planning and capacity to build scalable and sustainable models to prepare for dynamic population growth and need associated with the prediction that Latinos will comprise one-quarter of the U.S. population by 2030.
  • United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) – USHLI will develop a school-based project for economically disadvantaged students attending underserved schools and engaging the community in four predominantly Latino communities Prominent Latino experts in STEM-related fields from similarly disadvantaged backgrounds will help promote a greater understanding of STEM-related studies, practical uses and employment/career opportunities.
  • Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) – HACR will focus on the HACR STEM Initiative, a forum of business sessions focusing on education, recruitment, retention, and Latinas in STEM, among others. The HACR STEM Initiative was created to understand the mechanisms that lead to lower participation in STEM fields for Hispanics and to identify barriers to successful career progression for those Hispanics in the STEM pipeline.
  • SER National – SER National will focus on an early education model designed to respond to the unique needs of young linguistically and culturally diverse youth and their families. The primary goal is to advance early development and dual language learning of young children, preparing them for achievement in school, higher learning, economic well-being and participation in civil society.

Additional Hispanic organizations receiving funding include:

  • American GI Forum (AGIF)
  • ASPIRA
  • Cuban American National Council, Nurturing Hispanic Communities (CNC)
  • Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI)
  • Great Minds in Stem (GMiS), formerly known as Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation (HENAAC)
  • Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities (HACU)
  • Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF)
  • Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
  • Latin Americans for Social & Economic Development (LA SED)
  • LULAC National Education Service Centers (LNESC)
  • MANA, A National Latina Organization
  • National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC)
  • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)

“We thank GM for its longstanding commitment to the Hispanic community,” said HACR President and CEO Cid D. Wilson. “This funding will help provide STEM-related programming, as well as professional development opportunities for Latinos in corporate America competing in a dynamic and changing workforce.”

HACR Honors GM Engineers

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Feb 252015
 
Each year, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) holds a symposium highlighting the HACR Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers (YHCA) Program, which was created in 2007 to spotlight young Hispanics who have shown exceptional leadership qualities and capabilities within their corporation.

In 2014, two of GM’s Latina Engineers were among an elite group of recipients who received the Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers award. With more than 200 nominees, only 36 Hispanic professionals received the 2014 YHCA Award. Among the recipients were Diana Ortega, Quality Launch Manager from GM’s Detroit Hamtramck plant and Nydia Correa, who works on GM Product Engineering Quality. This year’s class was impressive, as 50 percent were Latinas. “I’m very grateful to GM and HACR for such an incredible learning and networking experience! To have met so many talented, civic minded and driven, young Hispanic professionals has been truly inspiring and empowering”, said Nydia Correa.

Recipients of the Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers award. Photo courtesy of HACR.

Recipients of the Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers award. Photo courtesy of HACR.

GM employees had an opportunity to participate in a series of forums, which included the Corporate Executive Forum, the Corporate Directors Summit and the Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers. Leaders from across the country came together to experience business sessions, training events, and listen to presentations from other companies.

Grace Lieblein, GM Vice President of Product Development, Purchasing & Supply Chain, participated in the Corporate Director’s summit and provided remarks at the Corporate Executive Forum. Newly retired Executive Director of Quality, Joe Ponce, also participated in the conference.  Alma Crossley, Director of Corporate Diversity and George Velez, Legal Process Global Leader, represented General Motors in the Corporate Executive Forum.

The training program included team building activities and powerful networking sessions. One of the many highlights of the YHCA Program was Dr. Juana Bordas’ (HACR YHCA Program Lead and CEO of Mestiza Leadership Intl.) moving presentation of pivotal moments in the history and evolution of Hispanics since the 1950’s. All participants then shared their personal stories on the impact and influence these major historical events had in their individual cultural upbringing, values and future goals.

Grace Lieblein vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain

Grace Lieblein vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain

“The Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers program has been so motivational, personally and professionally. The additional skills I have acquired were applied as early as the first day back as a leader. I’m ready to make a greater impact in my professional career and community”, said Diana Ortega.

HACR is an organization founded in 1986, whose mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with economic contributions. It is one of the most influential Hispanic advocacy groups in the nation representing 16 national Hispanic organizations, including NCLR, LULAC, NAHP, and USHCC.  HACR activities provide opportunities to engage and share GM key messaging to many leaders in the both the non-profit arena, as well as Corporate America. GM has been a longstanding partner of HACR over the years and has contributed over a half million dollars to HACR since 1995.

Click to watch the 2014 HACR YHCA Recap Video.