Rotary international day – luncheon
robert a. renaud
vice president
public & government affairs
daimlerchrysler canada inc.
november 13, 2000
Thank you Fred for that introduction. good afternoon LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Funny story, last week when Fred and I were talking about today’s
speech, he asked whether I wanted him to introduce me or to thank
me. I think those of you in the
audience who know Fred, ALSO know that HAVING FRED THANK ME HAS ITS RISKS. So again Fred, thanks for the introduction,
NOT THE THANK YOU.
(pause)
let me ALSO thank you for inviting me to be your speaker for Rotary
International Day – a day where relationships based on friendSHIP are
celebrated. In Windsor, we are
especially fortunate to benefit from a geographic PROXIMITY, as well as a close
relationship, with a foreign country. I
THINK IT’S CALLED THE UNITED STATES.
AS YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES IS A GREAT PARTNER FOR CAnAdA. 85% OF CANADA’S MERCHANDISE EXPORTS GO TO THE U.S.
AS FOR DAIMLERCHRYSLER, LAST YEAR’S VEHICLE EXPORTS FROM THE
U.S. TOTALED ABOUT 240,000 UNITS.
AND LAST YEAR, ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF DAIMLERCHRYSLER CANADA’S
TOTAL PRODUCTION OF 797,000 CARS AND TRUCKS WAS EXPORTED TO THE u.S.
(pAUSE)
ACTUALLY, I WAS HONOURED BY THE REQUEST TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
CINDI DICARLO INFORMED ME THAT YOUR INTERNATIONAL DAY SPEAKERS ARE
USUALLY REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT OR ARE POLITICIANS.
WELL, I DEFINITELY DO NOT REPRESENT GOVERNMENT.
HOWEVER, ANYONE WHO WORKS IN A LARGE ORGANIZATION HAS TO BE AT LEAST
A BIT OF A POLITICIAN.
SO, I GUESS FROM THAT POINT-OF-VIEW, I’M HERE TO CONTINUE THE TRADITION.
I was reading some Rotary International literature recently, and WAS
IMPRESSED BY your mission statement – to Create Awareness and TO Take
Action.
What simple, yet powerful words!
any organization can identify problems,… but when you add to that,
the ACTION PART, OR THE service aspect – ROTARY haS the winning combination.
Rotary is internationally well-known for its involvement:
Ø
IN
literacy programs,
Ø
IN
combating urban violence,
Ø
IN
finding jobs for people with disabilities,
Ø
IN
eradicatING polio,
Ø
IN
feeding the hungry,
Ø
IN
putting an end to avoidable blindness,
Ø IN aiding families and communities who have been hit by disasters, and
Ø
IN
helping disadvantaged groups,
. . . just to name a few.
ACTUALLY, IN WINDSOR, THE ROTARY IS ALSO KNOWN AS A PLACE FOR FRED
SORRELL TO GO TO ON MONDAYS. . .
IT KEEPS HIM OFF THE STREETS.
ROTARY HAS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT IS TRULY INTERNATIONAL.
YOU MIGHT SAY, IT’S GLOBAL YET LOCAL.
THE ROTARY STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM PROVIDES A TRULY INTERNATIONAL
EXPERIENCE TO QUALIFYING STUDENTS.
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, BUT THEY LIVE
WITH LOCAL FAMILIES, . . .
A GLOBAL EXPERIENCE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME IMMERSED IN THE
LOCAL CULTURE.
MY SON JEFF WAS A PARTICIPANT IN THE ROTARY EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH
THE HELP OF GEORGE POPOVICH.
HE SPENT A YEAR IN “AIX LES BAINS FRANCE”, . . . A SMALL TOWN NEAR
THE FRENCH ALPS. ACTUALLY, A PLACE that
I WOULDN’T MIND LIVING MYSELF.
NOT ONLY DID HE LEARN TO SPEAK FRENCH, HE ALSO LEARNED TO LIKE RED
WINE AND CHEESE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NO CHOICE!
THE FAMILIES HE STAYED WITH FORCED HIM TO HAVE WINE AND CHEESE WITH
DINNER.
HE ALSO WAS GIVEN MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO TOUR MUCH OF EUROPE AND
TRULY LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CULTURES OF THoSE COUNTRIES.
MY WIFE CHRIS AND I, ALSO TOOK IN THREE EXCHANGE STUDENTS, . . . ONE FROM BRAZIL – WHO CAME BACK TO
VISIT US THREE TIMES, . . . AND TWO FROM FRANCE.
THEY PROVIDED GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR US AS WELL.
(PAUSE)
YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELVES - does a service organization SUCH AS THE
ROTARY have ANYTHING in common with DAIMLERCHRYSLER?
FOR SURE!
WE ARE NOW TRULY A GLOBAL COMPANY.
I WILL COVER MORE ON THIS A LITTLE LATER - - BUT, WE’RE ALSO LOCAL…
WE KNOW THAT FOR OUR COMPANY TO THRIVE AND GROW, WE MUST BE
PART OF BUILDING SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT HELP OUR PEOPLE AND our COMMUNITIES.
WE, AT DaimlerChrysler CANADA share a common concern:
Ø
FOR
the environment,
Ø
FOR
health,
Ø
FOR
arts
Ø
and
FOR education.
We are a founding sponsor of the Trans Canada Trail and the Chrysler
Canada Greenway.
Our President – Ed Brust Is the honourary chair, AND WE ARE THE LEAD
COMPANY of the 2000 United Way Windsor/Essex COUNTY annual campaign. ON THAT TOPIC, IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE YOUR BEST
TO SUPPORT OUR 2000 CAMPAIGN, YOU’RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME, BECAUSE NOW IS THE
TIME.
BY THE WAY, JIM HOLDEN, THE PRESIDENT OF DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
IN AUBURN HILLS, IS THe CHAIR OF THE 2000 DETROIT AREA CAMPAIGN.
We support employee involvement in . . .
Ø
Junior
Achievement,
Ø
IN
the international terry fox run for cancer and, OF COURSE,
Ø
WE
HAVE BEEN A sponsor of Rotary’s Easter Seal Telethon.
These are just a few of the many examples of programs that engage
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF DaimlerChrysler Canada in the communitY in which WE live
and IN WHICH WE work.
there is ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT WE ARE VERY
PROUD OF. for the past few years, Our
Windsor office employees have managed what we CALL our “Share Drive
Campaign.”
The funds - raised and donated by employees, help purchase
much-needed supplies for area foodbanks:
Ø
THE
SALVATION ARMY,
Ø
THE
DOWNTOWN MISSION AND
Ø
THE
ESSEX COUNTY ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY.
Last year, the campaign donated over 408,000 canned goods, FROM
approximately 500 OFFICE employees, THAT’S OVER 800 CANS PER EMPLOYEE. IT IS one of the largest single Christmas
charity donations of its kind anywhere in Canada.
MANY OF our dealers are also very generous AND INVOLVED, INCLUDING
THOSE RIGHT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
OUR 550 DEALERS ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN ALL THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
THAT THEY SERVICE.
globally,
daimlerchrysler has helped nurture the growth of numerous communities.
AGAIN, ACTING LOCAL, WE HAVE partnered with countless ORGANIZATIONS
and people over the years by SUPPORTING youth organizations and
educational institutions, local performing and arts groups and health
and human service agencies… AND THE LIST GOES ON.
just recently, AT DAIMLERCHRYSLER CANADA IN support OF EDUCATION, we announced the single largest investment in automotive research In canadian history.
A $500-million investment in operating and capital will be injected
over the next five years into the joint university of windsor/daimlerchrysler
canada – automotive research and development centre, . . . the first
cooperative automotive research partnership of its kind.
this direct link with the university of windsor ESTABLISHES a
stimulating learning environment creating world-class research opportunities
while leading the way for educating the automotive engineerS of the
future. OUR UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
UNIVERSITY IS A STRATEGY LINKED WITH INVESTMENT AND ACTION THAT WE ARE VERY
PROUD OF.
(PAUSE)
AT daimlerchryser, WE haVE achieved global balance.
we operate in 200 countries, . . . we manufacture in 37 countries.
we Are a major player in the world’s tWO most developed markets –
NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. Now, through
the two alliances we forged in asia this year – with mitsubishi, of which we
hold A 34% CONTROLLING INTEREST, and WITH hyundai, of which we own 10% -- we
NOW have access to the fast-growing markets of japan, korea and south east
asia.
we have our leadership in technological innovation, engineering and
style.
AND we are building new efficiencies into our production SYSTEMS
EVERY DAY, AS OUR BUSINESS UNITS LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
we have our strategic partnerships, our global reach and, most
importantLY of all, we will have the MOST comprehensive, innovative product
range IN THE INDUSTRY.
IN CANADA, DAIMLERCHRYSLER NOW INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING GREAT BRANDS:
·
CHRYSLER
·
DODGE
·
JEEP
·
MOPAR
·
DAIMLERCHRYSLER
FINANCIAL SERVICES
·
MERCEDES
BENZ
·
FREIGHTLINER
AND STERLING TRUCKS
·
THOMAS
BUILT BUSES
·
WESTERN
STAR, HEADQUARTERED IN KELOWNA
·
AND
EUROCOPTER, WITH FACILITIES IN FORT ERIE
WE KNOW THAT, ALTHOUGH OUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS IMPORTANT, THE
BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION THAT WE CAN MAKE TO CANADA AND TO WINDSOR IS INVESTMENT
THAT CREATES WELL PAYING JOBS AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE
FOR OUR CITIZENS.
DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE INVESTED $600 MILLION IN OUR ASSEMBLY
PLANT IN BRAMPTON, ONTARIO.
WE INVESTED $1.2 BILLION IN OUR WINDSOR ASSEMBLY PLANT TO BUILD OUR
ALL-NEW DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY MINIvans.
IN JUNE, WE ANNOUNCED A $1.5 BILLION INVESTMENT IN OUR PILLETTE
ASSEMBLY PLANT, ALSO HERE IN WINDSOR, TO PREPARE THE PLANT TO BUILD AN ALL-NEW
DODGE PRODUCT.
WHEN YOU COMBINE THESE INVESTMENTS WITH THE $500 MILLION WE ARE
PLACING INTO OUR UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR/DAIMLERCHRYSLER CANADA – AUTOMOTIVE
RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, THAT’S A TOTAL OF ALMOST $4 BILLION IN CANADA,
AND OVER $3 BILLION RIGHT HERE IN WINDSOR.
… NOW, THAT’S SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY!
ONCE AGAIN… BEING GLOBAL YET INVESTING AND BENEFITTING LOCAL.
THERE’S ANOTHER GLOBAL ISSUE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY -
- IT’S ONE THAT AFFECTS EACH OF US.
MANY PEOPLE VIEW TRADITIONAL BUSINESS, SUCH AS THOSE IN THE
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, AS PART OF THE “OLD ECONOMY”.
AFTER ALL, WE HAVE FACTORIES, . . . WE BUILD THINGS….
THESE SAME PEOPLE VIEW INTERNET COMPANIES AS THE “NEW ECONOMY”.
THERE’S NOTHING GLOBAL, YET MORE INSTANTANEOUS THAN THE “WORLDWIDE
WEB”.
THE INTERNET companies, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE, WERE THE DARLINGS OF INVESTORS.
IN FACT, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, ONE OF OUR SENIOR EXECUTIVES WAS ASKED
WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS THE BEST WAY TO RAISE OUR STOCK PRICE.
HE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED, “LET’S ADD – DOT COM – TO OUR NAME”.
ALTHOUGH HE WAS JUST JOKING, THE IRONY IS THAT, AT THAT TIME, THERE
WAS AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH TO HIS STATEMENT.
AND NOW, HERE WE ARE IN NOVEMBER OF 2000… AND IN THE WORDS OF OUR
CORPORATE PRESIDENT JIM HOLDEN, “MANY DOT-COMS HAVE BECOME DOT-BOMBS.”
HOW THE WORLD CHANGES! IN
FACT, HOW IS CHANGES FAST!
WE KNOW THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN INTERNET COMPANY TO BE GLOBAL
OR To BE PART OF THE “NEW ECONOMY”.
AS I STATED EARLIER, WE ARE CLEARLY A GLOBAL COMPANY WITH CENTRES OF ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE . . .
Ø
IN
EUROPE,
Ø
IN
NORTH AMERICA – INCLUDING OUR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE HERE IN WINDSOR,
Ø
AND
NOW, IN JAPAN…
FOLLOWING OUR ACQUISITION OF MITSUBISHI MOTORS.
WE ARE ALSO PART OF THE NEW ECONOMY AS WE USE THE LATEST IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD BETTER CARS AND TRUCKS FASTER.
WE STARTED BY TAKING ALl OF THE INDEPENDENT ONE-OF MARKETING
DATABASES AND INTEGRATED THEM INTO A CENTRAL DATABASE, SO that IF WE CHANGED
POWER WINDOWS FROM OPTIONAL TO STANDARD, THE WHOLE SYSTEM KNEW RIGHT AWAY.
AFTER THAT, WE STARTED NETWORKING ALL OF OUR INTERNAL SySTEMS SO WE
HAvE SINGLE POINTS OF DATA THROUGHOUT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INSIDE OUR
COMPANY.
WE CALL IT “FAST CAR”.
“FAST CAR” IS NOT A MARKETING SLOGAN, . . . INSTEAD, IT’S AN ALL-NEW ELECTRONIC PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT TOOL UNLIKE ANYTHING EVER DEVELOPED BEFORE.
IT WILL ELECTRONICALLY
enable the chrysler development SYSTEM, WHICH to date has largely been
involved with design and engineering, . . . but not so much with manufacturing or
marketing or the supply base.
fastcar gives us an entirely new way to design, build and sell cars
and trucks.
THE 2004 model year products fROM our large car platform, WILL BE THE FIRST ACTUALLY PRODUCED using the fast Car system.
as we learn and perfect the fastcar processes, they will quickly be
migrated to all of our other platforms, because fastcar repsects the platform
process that we developed inside chrysler during the 1990’S.
the lesson we’ve learned from all of this is, - - once you have the
single point of truth for all that you do, it gives you huge leverage to take
to the market.
and when you do that, you have 100 percent accuracy in real-time
product information, pricing, incentives, and so on.
Ø
your
own people,
Ø
by
suppliers,
Ø
BY
dealership STAFF,
Ø
BY
marketing kiosks
Ø
or
BY consumers, . . .
they’re all RECEIVING accurate, real-time information.
(PAUSE)
we’Ve also launchED covisint, AN EXCHANGE IN Partnership with
general motors and ford.
COVISINT COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF THE PRIMARY REASONS WHY THE EXCHANGE IS BEING FORMED.
THE LETTERS “CO” REPRESENT CONNECTIVITY, COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATIONS.
“vis” REPRESENTS THE VISIBILITY THAT THE INTERNET
PROVIDES AND THE VISION OF THE FUTURE OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT.
“INT” REPRESENTS THE INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS THE VENTURE
WILL pROVIDE AS WELL AS THE INTERNATIONAL SCOPE OF THE exchange.
BY USING THE WEB, A MANUFACTURER’S PRODUCTION SCHEDULE AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT CHANGES COULD BE SENT SIMULTANEOUSLY AND INSTANTLY THROUGHOUT ITS
ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN.
THE RESULT IS, LESS NEED FOR COSTLY INVENTORY AT ALL LEVELS OF THE
SUPPLY CHAIN AND AN INCREASED ABILITY TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO MARKET CHANGES.
SO, TO WRAP UP, . . . WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
I THINK FASTCAR AND COVISINT ARE CONTINUING PROOF THAT OUR “OLD ECONOMY” BUSINESS CAN TAKE NEW TOOLS AND ADAPT NEW SOLUTIONS TO VERY OLD PROBLEMS AND STAY AT THE LEADING EDGE.
I’M QUITE SURE MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
DONE EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
WE DON’T ALWAYS GET THE CREDIT I THINK WE DESERVE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW FAR WE’VE COME IN TERMS OF PRODUCT AND
TECHNICAL CAPABILITY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, I THINK WE’RE REALLY LEADING THE OLD
ECONOMY, OR AS I PREFER TO CALL IT, THE TRADITIONAL ECONOMY, TOWARD INTEGRATION WITH THE NEW.
CONSUMERS WILL CONTINUE TO EXPECT BETTER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FROM
THE TRADITIONAL ECONOMY, WHICH UNLESS WE WANT AN END TO OUR STANDARD OF LIVING,
IN NOT GOING AWAY. NEW ECONOMY TOOLS,
WILL HELP US TO MEET CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS.
WELL, . . . I PROMISED FRED THAT I WOULD BE BRIEF, EVEN THOUGH HE
KNOWS THAT BEING BRIEF IS NOT ONE OF MY REDEEMING CHARACTER TRAITS.
IN SUMMARY, AT DAMILERCHRYSLER, WE ARE NOW TRULY GLOBAL, NOT JUST A
NORTH AMERICAN COMPANY WITH INTERNATIONAL OFFICES LIKE WE USED TO BE.
WE’RE ALSO PART OF THE NEW “WORLD WIDE WEB” ECONOMY.
AT DAIMLERCHRYSLER, HOWEVER, WE CLEARLY ARE ALSO LOCAL WITH A STRONG
SENSE OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY THAT GOES BEYOND INVESTMENT AND EXTENDS INTO
INVOLVEMENT - -
. . . INVOLVEMENT THROUGH OUR POLICIES,
. . . INVOLVEMENT THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEES,
. . . INVOLVEMENT THROUGH OUR DEALERS.
BUT, THIS IS YOUR DAY, AND AS STATED IN MY OPENING REMARKS, THE
ROTARY IS ALSO TRULY GLOBAL WITH CLUBS IN 162 COUNTRIES.
YOU ARE ALSO LOCAL AS YOU REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU LIVE
IN, INCLUDING HERE IN WINDSOR.
THROUGH YOUR MISSION STATEMENT, YOU NOT ONLY CREATE AWARENESS, YOU
TAKE ACTION, MAKING THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU LIVE IN BETTER BECAUSE OF YOUR
SUPPORT.
AND, BECAUSE OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT THIS ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DAY IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH OF YOU TO CELEBRATE.
. . . WHAT YOU STAND FOR
. . . TO CELEBRATE WHAT YOU haVE ACCOMPLISHED
. . . AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO CELEBRATE WHAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH IN
THE FUTURE.
THE ROTARY GAINS STRENGTH IN UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE OF THE
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF ITS MEMBER CLUBS.
HOWEVER, ROTARY INTERNATIONAL GAINS ITS STRENGTH FROM EACH OF ITS
LOCAL MEMBERS.
. . . MEMBERS WHO SHARE THE VISION OF ROTARY;
. . . MEMBERS WHO BELIEVE IN THE MISSION, “TO CREATE AWARENESS AND
TAKE ACTION;”
. . . MEMBERS WHO AREN’T SATISFIED WITH THE STATUS QUO;
. . . MEMBERS WHO LOOK FOR NEW AND BETTER WAYS TO PROVIDE THE KINDS
OF SERVICES THAT THE ROTARY IS KNOWN FOR AND RESPECTED FOR;
. . . MEMBERS WHO SEE THE FUTURE AS A CHALLENGE, AS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO HELP MAKE OUR WORLD, OUR COMMUNITIES, JUST A LITTLE BETTER.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO FRED AND TO CINDY DICARLO FOR INVITING ME TODAY.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, . . . WHAT YOU WILL DO AS A PROUD
MEMBER OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR
COMMUNITY . . . A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FOR CREATING AWARENESS!
THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!