Features Automotive

Look closely and you just might recognize similarities between stopping pucks and being an in-house lawyer. “You’ve got to focus with extreme attention to detail,” says Jory Zola, who during the mid- and late-2000s tended goal for the Indiana University men’s ice hockey team before opting for law school. “You have to evaluate a multitude […]

In a world where sustainability consciousness is rapidly increasing, vehicle manufacturing is still about acceleration: how quickly new technology can be integrated not only to lower emissions, but also cater to drivers’ cravings for adventure and luxury. As Jill Greene explains, consumers want luxurious interiors with the latest technology, like Wi-Fi-connected devices and eco-friendly mobility. […]

Quite the ambitious agenda Ken LeCroix is part of at General Motors: zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion. But as an executive attorney, part of a new and unique in-house team, he doesn’t think this vision is pie in the automotive sky. “Charging stations are sprouting nationwide,” LeCroix reminds Vanguard in May. Over time, changes […]

Auto shopping will always be among the more personal pursuits, a would-be buyer likely visiting several dealerships, test-driving vehicles and conversing at length with the sales rep before agreeing to a purchase. Shermin Ladha Pelinski doesn’t see that part changing, but recognizes that COVID-19 has had lasting effects on the auto business, as well as […]

So, Lance Follett is asked: Is solving global warming and reducing its carbon footprint the mission of your employer? “It certainly is an important, even critical, goal,” replies the chief legal officer and executive vice president of corporate development at Vancouver-based and globally active Westport Fuel Systems. “That, and, of course, providing solid returns to […]

No one ambles into a showroom to casually buy a firetruck or ambulance. No one takes it out for a test spin and then sits down at a desk with a sales rep to pencil out a deal, talk about a trade-in and set up the financing.  But there still needs to be a bridge between municipalities and agencies needing firetrucks and rescue units and the companies making […]

Maserati makes cars that are fast, decadently luxurious—and now, electric. The Italian auto manufacturer made news in 2020 by announcing its vehicles will be all electrified within the next five years, following a global trend away from gasoline-powered cars. Steering that drive is CEO Davide Grasso, who served as chief marketing officer at Nike, then […]

“Mexico Mi Amor.” This phrase was emblazoned on T-shirts sold by enterprising teenage friends Manuel Sanchez and Fernando Arriaga amidst Mexican civil unrest in the mid-1980s. The two launched their small business to promote the country’s unique beauty, designing all logos and images, marketing their product and “chasing invoices,” Sanchez explains. “It was an amazing […]

An attorney who spends his spare time painting abstract art or playing guitar is not afraid to take things in different directions. Or so it seems as Old World Industries approaches its 50th anniversary, with Richard Stevens acting as an artist of change helping to guide the Northbrook, Illinois, company down unexpected new paths, from […]

General counsels and chief legal officers often claim additional roles—executive vice president and corporate secretary being two of the most popular. Multiple titles sure look good on a letterhead or LinkedIn page, after all. It’s a club that Victor Manuel Manzano Macias, who helps oversee the Mexican operations of international tire heavyweight Pirelli, is proud […]