A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SAVING THE LAST, TWO GREAT AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES Key Steps to the Plan Included in LOOK OUT AMERICA!: -Combine both Ford and GM's technical departments of Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Research and Development resources to enhance their chance for survival. The newly consolidated technical group will now be able to compete head-to-head with its rivals from overseas. The new group will share technology across the board for the betterment of both companies just the way technology was shared in WW II. -Focus on fixing the Spiritual Problem. The American auto industry is in a life and death struggle and there is no room for politically correctness! Find qualified men or women who understand automotive technology and who can really do the job. Get the MBA's out of operational management positions because they don't know "Jack" about technology. -Ford and General Motors must be led by creative, visionary leaders. An individual with a technical background, who spent most of their time in operational and product release positions, and understands automotive technology. The following virtues establish the character of the corporation. Leaders must insure that Vision, Trust, Honesty and Integrity are practiced and flow easily throughout the entire corporate culture. Respect for the truth is the formation of the morality for the corporation. -Establish QUALITY as the main issue that provides value and excitement for the customer. Build vehicles using 24 Sigma Quality Control Methods. Quality must be engineered and factored in at the inception of part design. -Ford and GM must project a message that all of their vehicles are becoming cleaner and more fuel-efficient every day because visionary engineers are again running the companies. Every day these issues become more important as oil supplies are costlier and their use is polluting the planet with greenhouse gases. -Develop vehicles that have an excellent appearance, remain in style and still have value before the vehicle wears out. -The U.S. Government needs to establish the Department Of Industry and Technology (DoIT). As a nation, we need to stop the de-industrialization America! -Ask every American with a driver's license to submit ideas to the (Ford and GM) Yankee Ingenuity Program. -Develop a Marketing, Sales, and Service Plan to support a Lease/Recycle Program. Establish a 100% Lease/Recycle Program goal by 2018. -Encourage every American citizen to support the U.S. government's next round of stimulus money to include stock in only true American Automotive Companies. This way every tax-paying American citizen would become a stockholder of both Ford and General Motors. -Make certain that every Ford and GM investment is an "investment for the future". -Establishing this strategic plan will allow for the survival of the last two American automobile companies as one, otherwise they are LIVING ON BORROWED TIME.
About the Author: Del C. Schroeder grew up in Algonac, a small Michigan town located on the St. Clair River. At the age of 12, Del built his first plywood kit boat that he raced in the Algonac Racing Association, and supported his boat's racing expenses by being a Detroit News carrier. Algonac was the birth place of both Garwood and Chris Craft Boat Companies. Because his mother was born in Belgium and came to America when she was 2, that makes Del a first generation American. It is the first generation Americans who have worked hard to prove they are worthy citizens-legal immigrant parents instill that work ethic. Del had to pay his way through college the same way his father did; they both worked and bussed dishes for their meals. Del went to Michigan State University majoring in mechanical engineering and transportation design. Del is also a proud member of Triangle Fraternity, a social and professional fraternity of engineers, architects and scientists. Del's automotive career started at GM Styling, then Cadillac Financial, Ford Research and Scientific Labs., GM Advanced Manufacturing, GM Truck and Coach Body Engineering, GM Truck and Bus Manufacturing Engineering, Executive in Charge of a GM/DuPont Joint Venture, GM CPC Division - Advanced Vehicle Engineering - Chief Engineer Pontiac Stinger, GM CPC Division Manufacturing Engineering and a contract engineer for Chrysler Research and Advanced Engineering. During his career, Del had the opportunity to work in a variety of job assignments. Each job assignment was chosen to provide a broad range of experience to become a better engineer someday. Del was an executive for 15 years of his 32-year career at GM in a variety of engineering and manufacturing assignments. In the course of his travels over the years, Del has been granted a total of 27 U.S. automotive patents through the GM and Chrysler patent system and they are the property of the respective corporations. Today, Del is an engineering consultant using good, old "Yankee Ingenuity." Del's sense of accomplishment has been in helping others accomplish their goals. So many people have helped Del as he progressed through life, his debt and gratitude has been in helping others achieve their goals.