Noticias – Page 11 – Latino Traffic Report

Ten Latino Students Win Buick Scholarships

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Jun 152015

The first four-year recipients to benefit from the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program are receiving their degrees this year as the General Motors Foundation today announced nearly $1.2 million in new scholarships of up to $25,000 a year for 50 students to pursue degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

Students can be selected for the scholarship after high school graduation or during any year of college study. Of the new class of recipients, 62 percent are first-generation college students and 68 percent come from diverse backgrounds. Nearly one in four have ties to the military, having served themselves or as dependents of a current or former service member, and ten out of the 50 selected are Latino. They are: Sandra Alarcon, Daniel Savala, Michelle Diaz, Sergio Banuelos, Marilu Duque, Christina Flores, Henry Gomez, Kathy Tangarife, Cristian Munoz, and Cash Forster.

Buick Achiever Marilu Duque from Deltona, FL.

To celebrate the combined achievements of the inaugural graduating class of Buick Achievers with the announcement of 2015 recipients, Diego Gonzalez, a Buick Achiever and 2015 San Diego State University graduate, teamed up with Buick last month to surprise high school senior Stewart Martin of Winston-Salem, N.C., with a $25,000 scholarship.

“Growing up, I loved racing. My dad told me about NASCAR engineers – and I chose that career path because it follows my dreams and it’s a way to connect with my father,” said Martin, whose father passed away when Stewart was a young child. “I’m so thankful for this scholarship. It brings me one step closer to following my dream.”

Martin plans to major in mechanical engineering at UNC Charlotte.

“The future of our country lies in technology and innovation and depends on a strong pipeline of highly skilled talent,” said GM Foundation Chairman Bob Ferguson. “Our scholarship program is helping bridge the gap between a skilled workforce and positions that companies are looking to fill.”

Buick Achiever Cash Forster from Purcell, OK.

Since its inception in 2011, the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program has awarded more than $28 million in scholarships to more than 3,400 high school and undergraduate students nationwide. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years, with one additional year for students entering a qualified five-year engineering program.

“The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program has become one of the most impactful in the county, demonstrating our commitment to those students who excel while also giving back to their community,” said Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president of Buick. “This graduating class serves as a testament to what this scholarship has done for so many students – put a college degree in hand, and set them on their way to further education or the start of their careers.”

Buick Achievers gives special consideration to females, minorities, first-generation college students, military veterans and military dependents.

Buick Achiever Kathy Tangarife from Lowell, MA.

General Motors and the GM Foundation have a long history of investing in education initiatives, investing more than $70 million since 2007. For example:

The GM Foundation provides approximately $3 million annually to key university partners and professional organizations to advance STEM curricula.
Last month, GM and the GM Foundation gifted $4 million to Kettering University to create dynamic automotive lab facilities that will provide a unique education for future engineers, scientists and industry leaders.

Click here for more information about the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, to view the complete list of 2015 recipients, or to register for an e-mail notification when the next application window opens.

Montoya Wins Big at Indy 500

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May 292015

Juan Pablo Montoya earned $2,449,055 from an overall purse of $13,397,315 for his victory May 24 in the 99th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In driving his No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet to victory, Montoya held off reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion and teammate Will Power by 0.1046 of a second – the fourth-closest finish in race history. The Penske pair battled Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon in a thrilling final 15 laps. This marks Montoya’s second Indianapolis 500 win, as the Colombian won “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” as a rookie in 2000.

Five of the race’s 37 lead changes occurred in the last 15 laps following a restart when Montoya, who led four times for a total of nine laps, passed Dixon in Turn 1 for second place before overtaking Power exiting Turn 4 to capture the lead on Lap 197. He held the lead for the remainder of the 200-lap event. The nine laps led by Montoya is the third-fewest laps led by a winner. Dan Wheldon led one lap in 2011 and Joe Dawson led two laps in 1912.

The 15-year gap between Montoya’s two Indianapolis 500 triumphs is the longest stretch for a driver. The victory extended team owner Roger Penske’s record of Indy 500 victories to 16.

Power, who earlier this month won the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the IMS road course, earned $792,555 in driving his No. 1 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet to a runner-up finish, his best in eight “500” starts. Power led the race five times for a total of 23 laps.

Charlie Kimball, who started the race 14th on the grid, also posted a career-best Indianapolis 500 performance in finishing third in his fifth start driving the No. 83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Kimball led the race twice for 10 laps and earned $564,055.

Nissan Helps Soldiers Build New Homes

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Apr 222015

Iraq War veteran Brenda Lopez builds her home with help from Nis

Nissan North America, in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), today started construction of a Dallas-area home in partnership with Brenda Lopez, a current member of the Army Reserves who served with the 360^th Brigade in Iraq during 2008 and 2009.

“I’m building my house! I’m excited,” Lopez enthused. “It means a lot to have the other veterans here, especially with the Wounded Warrior Project. They are like another family to me.”

Volunteers from Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, WWP Alumni and employees of Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. in the Dallas area will donate their time and construction skills as they work alongside Lopez and her dad, Teodoro. The new home will be located in the Oak Cliff Gardens neighborhood, which is located near the Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center.

A Specialist in the Reserve, Lopez, a Dallas native, is a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal. She has two preschool children and is taking classes at Mountain View Community College, in addition to working as an office cashier at a local home improvement store.

Nissan has been a partner to both organizations for many years, donating $1 million to the two nonprofit organizations for the project.

“We are grateful to Nissan for their commitment to help families realize their dream of home ownership,” said Colleen Finn Ridenhour, Habitat for Humanity International deputy director Corporate, Foundation & Institutional Relations. “We were honored to be part of the Nissan Super Bowl campaign and to be building with the Wounded Warrior volunteers.”

Since 2005, Nissan’s total support for Habitat for Humanity has surpassed $11.6 million. In response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Nissan donated 50 Nissan Titan trucks to assist Habitat’s response efforts in the Gulf Coast and mobilized employees to partner in home building.

Nissan employees have helped to build 63 homes across the United States, including nine in Dallas, over the past eight years, logging more than 70,000 volunteer hours building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

The company’s support of the WWP includes a recent “Project Titan” adventure, in which two injured veterans piloted a custom-built Nissan Titan pickup on a 10-day adventure through the Alaskan wilderness.

Rocsi Diaz Receives Honorary Hyundai Hope On Wheels Award

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Mar 312015

Rocsi Diaz

Hyundai Motor America and its nonprofit organization Hyundai Hope On Wheels was recently joined by Emmy Award-winning journalist, actress and TV personality Rocsi Diaz to kick off of its annual Hyundai Hope On Wheels national grant program during the New York International Auto Show.

Diaz will serve as a Celebrity Hope Ambassador. This honorary position is given to influencers willing to help bring awareness to this importance cause. Diaz is involved in multiple Hope On Wheels activities while in New York, including serving as the moderator for a high-profile mom blogger event and panel discussion hosted in partnership with The MOMS, New York City’s most influential blogger network targeting this important demographic. Diaz will leverage her experience and talent as a TV correspondent and anchor as well as her strong digital following to create awareness for pediatric cancer. A strong supporter of philanthropic efforts, Diaz also has her own nonprofit organization RocStar Foundation, which raises money to build and refurbish schools devastated by Hurricane Katrina in her native New Orleans.

“We commend Rocsi for her charitable efforts and are grateful that she will join the fight against pediatric cancer alongside Hyundai Hope On Wheels this week as a Hope Ambassador,” said Zafar Brooks, program director, Hyundai Hope On Wheels. “Her strong social presence and willingness to be involved will aid in boosting awareness for our program and this worthwhile cause.”

“Childhood cancer is an important issue that should command more attention,” said

Diaz. “I’m proud to participate in Hyundai Hope On Wheel’s launch activities. I’m moved that Hyundai has been helping kids fight cancer for 17 years and I’m delighted to share that this year they will surpass $100 million in funding groundbreaking research aimed at finding a cure because one child fighting cancer is one child too many.”

Hyundai Hope On Wheels will carry on its “Just One Wish” campaign theme from last year. This theme is designed to convey the mission of the organization to end childhood cancer. The campaign connects thousands of families affected by the disease via social media. Parents who visit the Hyundai Hope On Wheels website and social media channels can join the effort by posting a photo of their child and sharing their own stories of courage and hope. The goal of the Just One Wish campaign is to show the collective wish of a cure for pediatric cancer. Families can join the effort by visiting the Hope On Wheels website under the section “we win together” or by posting a photo on social media @HopeOnWheels, using hashtags #EndChildhoodCancer and #HopeOnWheels.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.

Toyota Celebrates Milestone in Latino Market

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Mar 182015

Latino Traffic Report has learned that Toyota recently held a special private show in Los Angeles with Grammy Award-winning artist Ricky Martin for loyal Latino Toyota owners. The event celebrated a milestone for Toyota as the No. 1 automotive brand in the Hispanic market for a decade.

To demonstrate its appreciation of that loyalty, the the world’s largest automaker recognized Latino owners as its special guests. Ricky Martin showcased his spectacular talent, performing his greatest hits and music from his new album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, to a full-capacity crowd at Nokia Theatre L.A.

“We wanted to thank them for making Toyota their favorite brand for the past ten years. We couldn’t have found a more fitting partner than Ricky Martin who also understands the power of Latino loyalty,” commented Jack Hollis, group vice president of Toyota Division marketing at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Through the years, Toyota has understood the importance of the Latino community, locating its Tundra truck plant in San Antonio, supporting Latino non-profit organizations like the National Council of La Raza, and creating culturally relevant campaigns. Most notably, Toyota launched a recent campaign called “More Than a Car,” or “Más Que Un Auto,” a program that acknowledges the role vehicles play in the everyday lives of Latino consumers.

The campaign recognizes that drivers see their cars as members of their families and give their vehicles nicknames. For instance, customers can order customized nameplates through the website www.masqueunauto.com to be mailed to them at no cost. Tens of thousands of people have ordered the 3-D-printed nameplates, which allow them to demonstrate their love for their trusted companion and immortalize its place in the family.

“In creating the campaign, our challenge was to find an idea that could truly express the love between the Latino consumer and the brand. For them, their Toyotas are almost members of their families. Once the team uncovered this insight, the execution took shape quickly,” said Javier Campopiano, Chief Creative Officer at Conill, Toyota’s Hispanic marketing partner. “Today, engagement continues, owners are sharing their stories through Toyota Latino social channels and this campaign – developed to thank Latino owners for their support – celebrates the long-standing relationship between Toyota and the Latino community.”

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.

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

“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.

Views and News from Chicago

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Feb 202015

The 2015 Chicago Auto Show media preview revealed all-new products, concepts, and marketing projections from domestic and import car makers.

There were interesting concepts from Nissan (the 350 Z Nismo Roadster and GT-R LP NISMO Racer-pictured), Mitsubishi (the GC-Phev), and Kia (Trail’Ster AWD).

New products included the 2016 Kia Rio, 2016 Honda Pilot, 2016 Chevy Equinox and 2015 Silverado Custom, and 2016 Acura RDX.

Ram made the most impressive showing with its all-new luxury truck model, the 2015 Laramie Limited. Motivated by growing sales volumes in the premium truck segment, Bob Hegbloom, president and CEO, Ram Truck Brand—FCA US LLC, shared that premium models now taks up 38 percent of Ram 1500 sales and 44 percent of the Ram 3500 series sell for more than $60,000.

The new Ram will set itself apart by more than just its price tag. Gone is the crosshair grille, replaced instead with a billet port configuration. Chrome is heavily featured on the outside, from the grille to the oversized Ram badge on the tailgate. The interior looks exceptional, with accent stitching, piping, and real wood accents. Mighty fancy!

The 2015 Laramie Limited will be available across the lineup, i.e. 1500–3500, and with the 3.5-liter V6 EcoDiesel engine on the 1500 that earns a best-in-class 29 miles per gallon on the highway.

Toyota also showed new products with special edition versions of its Corolla, Camry, and Avalon. Made in the U.S.A., the special editions will be offered in a red, white, and blue color palette. 2015-02-13 11.00.04 Hyundai showed refreshed versions of the 2016 Elantra GT and Veloster, as well as a special edition of the Veloster Rally (right-pictured with Brandon Ramirez, Hyundai senior group manager and product planner) that goes on sale this May.

Nissan’s VP José Muñoz was the featured speaker at the business luncheon sponsored by The Economic Club of Chicago. He began with a look at Nissan’s history in the U.S. that started in 1958 with a reconaissance mission to check the viability of the U.S. market for Nissan (Datsun at the time).

Fast forward to Nissan’s impact in the U.S. and a look at its four manufacturing facilities, beginning with the plant in Smyrna, Tennessee that produced 648,000 vehicles last year, more than any other U.S. auto plant, domestic or foreign. In total, Nissan employs more than 22,000 U.S. workers.

Muñoz attributed this success to a bold vision that focused on three key areas: local production, workforce training, and capitalizing on changing demographics. Thirty-six percent of Nissan owners are ethnically diverse, he said, and Nissan’s workforce also reflects the marketplace. “Diversity is not just a smart thing to do, it’s the right thing to do,” he added.

He also stated that Nissan is approaching its goal of capturing 10 percent of the U.S. automotive market.

“Our story is the American story and there is so much more to come,” he concluded.

The 2015 Chicago Auto Show is open to the public through February 22.

Mark Orlando Named MINI Department Head of Sales

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Feb 112015

MINI USA today announced the appointment of Mark Orlando as Department Head, MINI Sales. Mark has over 12 years of diverse experience within the BMW Group including roles in Sales, Aftersales, Dealer Development and BMW Group University. Orlando replaces Sadir Haji who is appointed Department Head – Regional Sales & Marketing in the Eastern Region where he will assume the leadership responsibilities for all BMW sales, marketing and distribution functions.

Mark joins the MINI USA team from his current role as Area Manager for BMW of North America’s largest market in the country, Northern New Jersey/New York. In his new role, Mark will be responsible for leading the MINI USA Sales team, Aftersales and Regional MINI business in the United States to achieve operational strategies, priorities and initiatives to grow the MINI business.

Throughout his career, Mark has worked closely with BMW AG, Executive and Regional Management along with the Area Teams to develop and implement strategic initiatives to drive dealer performance. Prior to joining the BMW Group, Mark led the North American Operations for a global consulting company focused on improving sales growth, organizational efficiency and increased customer loyalty.

“With the recent launch of the new MINI Hardtop 2 and 4 Door, and several more models on the way, this is a very exciting time for MINI USA,” said David Duncan, Vice President MINI of the Americas. “That’s why we’re thrilled to have Mark join us as Head of Sales at MINI USA. He brings a unique set of skills and great expertise to help drive sales in the US – MINI’s most important single market globally.”

The MINI USA team would like to thank Sadir Haji for his contributions to the MINI brand over the past four years. Prior to his role leading the MINI USA sales team, Sadir was the head of MINI’s Western Region.

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