Jack inducted into PRSA Detroit Chapter Hall of Fame!

Hi everyone!

Last night we went to the PRSA Detroit Chapter’s annual meeting. During the meeting was a ceremony for Jack Harned’s induction into the Hall of Fame.


The meeting was downtown at the beautiful DTE Energy building. We had a great time networking with fellow colleagues in the PR industry and catching up with previous AutoCom employees.


After dinner, Marty gave a great introduction to Jack. Jack’s speech was absolutely wonderful! Everyone loved it! He talked about some of his past experiences from his hometown newspaper to working with GM and NASA. It seemed that everyone loved hearing his stories as much as we do at our Friday lunches!


It’s great to know that Jack’s peers recognize all of his hard work. He has accomplished and seen so much, he truly deserves this award.


From all of us at AutoCom: Congrats, Jack! We are all so proud of you!

Leave some comments for Jack and keep an eye out for pictures, coming soon, at AutoCom's Facebook page!


Until next time,
Julia, Kerry and Tedi

Finally in Michigan

Hello Everyone!

Now it’s my turn to introduce myself! My name is Julia Kattau and I am the second new intern at AutoCom Associates.

Like many former interns, I am also from Germany. I grew up near Bremen and I have lived in Bavaria for the past few years, which is a great contrast to my northern home. I am studying “International Cultural and Business Studies” at the University of Passau and will finish the program next spring!

This is my first trip to Michigan, although not my first time in the US, because I have already spent some time here for vacations. Obtaining a six-month internship is a much better opportunity than I ever thought I would encounter and I feel very fortunate. Prior to joining AutoCom, I interned at an advertising agency near Munich and in two film production companies in Hamburg and Bremen. So this is my first glimpse within the PR-business and after my first two weeks I can definitely say that I am really looking forward to learning more about it!

The first days after my arrival flew past, as I had to settle down in my new home, search for a car (which was an interesting experience), applying for a social security card and so on… In the meantime, I am already feeling very comfortable, especially because everyone at AutoCom is so kind and always most helpful! To everyone at AutoCom: Thank you very much for welcoming me so friendly to your team!

I can hardly wait to see what the next months will bring! I will keep you up to date with my experiences in public relations as an account assistant, as well as with my other adventures in America!

Julia

Hi Everyone!

My name is Kerry and I am one of two new interns at AutoCom Associates. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to be here. Today marks the beginning of my second week and I am already learning so much.

I am 23 years old and grew up in Novi, Mich., where I now live. I attended Michigan State University, where I received a bachelor’s degree in communication with a focus on public relations.

I am very thrilled to be learning the ins and outs here at AutoCom Associates. Everyone here is extremely helpful and nice. I look forward to updating everyone on the blog with my experience over the next few months.

It's history!

One more hour and my internship with AutoCom will officially end. I returned my office keys to Lynn, handed over my assignments to Tedi and Sara and tidied up my desk. Though holding it off as long as possible, I guess the time has finally arrived to say good-bye to everyone!

Needless to say, I had an awesome time with AutoCom Associates and in the United States, in general. As I write, I realize there will be plenty of things I will miss when I go back to Germany. There are the obvious ones like not being able to shop 24/7, drawing money from a drive-through ATM, taking a Michigan U-turn when turning left and driving on roads spreading over four lanes.

Owning a car and living five minutes walking distance from downtown Royal Oak is something else I won’t have in Germany! And my fabulous American/German housemates, of course!

I am so used to coming to the office every morning that it will feel weird not to come in next Monday and working on my media analytic reports, tweeting about client news and events, drafting releases, working on the BBSO website, writing for the intern blog or preparing one of AutoCom’s upcoming events.

But what I will miss most are my colleagues and friends at AutoCom! How can you not miss having conversations with Andi about what part of your body to use to flush the toilet or seeing Larry getting all excited about using social media to promote events such as Tech Crawl and Traverse City? I wonder what I will do on Friday afternoons if I no longer have to figure out how to read and edit the GKN action items together with Craig? Who will provide me with first hand stories on the American youth generation in the 60s and 70s if I am no longer working with Marty? Will I ever hear a more cheerful way of answering the phone at any of my future employments than Jan singing “Good morning/afternoon, AutoCom” in the phone? How can I possible enjoy lunch ever again without having Jack around teaching me about PR and the world in general? Who will make sure that I continue putting on weight other than Lynn by bringing in yummy deserts every day? How can I make sure to do something good every day if Jim won’t be able to ask me to help him find office supplies?

OMG, I will miss my AutoCom ladies! Words can’t tell how much fun we had! We giggled all day long about random stuff, annoying and entertaining the rest of the AutoCom team at the same time.

I will miss dialing Annika’s extension to get the latest news from the front desk. Who can I boss around, if I don’t have Eleanor around me anymore? I’ll probably stay alert for quite a while expecting to hear Sara shouting “Miriam, can you please come to my desk for a second?” Who, other than Tedi, will wake me up by sending text messages asking to bring in an iron or nail polish remover the next day?

Thanks for everything, guys, and I will miss you soooooo much!

Miriam

Traverse City 2009

Squeezed in a Jeep between dozens of boxes filled with flash-drives, key chains, pens and pencils, part of our staff headed to Northern Michigan last week for the annual Management Briefing Seminars (MBS). The MBS is one of the highlights in the automotive events calendar with the “who’s who” attending from the global auto industry. It has become tradition over the years that AutoCom hosts several special events for its clients during that week. This year’s AutoCom team was Larry, Jim, Craig, Jack, Tedi, Eleanor and me.

Arriving in Traverse City on Monday afternoon, we started decorating the suite that AutoCom rents during that time at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. The suite was open from 7am until 9pm, Monday until Friday, and provided a place for our clients as well as for journalists to work and relax in a nice and quiet atmosphere.

To say that Eleanor, Tedi and I weren’t exactly dressed in business clothes would be an understatement. Somehow we had a different schedule in mind from the rest of the AutoCom staff since we expected to get changed at our hotel room. Turned out that wasn’t quite the case so when we welcomed the first guests at the suite we were trying our best to come across as professional business women while still being dressed in our comfort clothes. It has to be said that Tedi had the hardest job - wearing her sweat suit…in bride pink - but she kept countenance! Well done, Tedi!

Tuesday was all about the Pub Crawl. With a group of around 30 people we discovered the nightlife of Traverse City. The bars “Firefly”, “Red Ginger” and the “Mackinaw Brewing Company” were on our “to-do list” for that night. Not part of the original plan, but even more fun, was the after-party at the Irish Pub “Kilkennys” where plenty of pictures have been taken - none of which can be shown here due to their explosive content.

Thursday was another action filled day. It started off with Jean-Pierre’s cooking session at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute (GLCI). This part of the AutoCom program has become very famous over the years - thanks to the energetic personality of the AutoCom client, Jean-Pierre Vasaune, a passionate chef whose day job is managing the Wallonia/Belgium Office for Foreign Investors in Chicago. Belgian spring rolls and almond baskets were on the menu for this year’s session. After watching Jean-Pierre preparing the dishes and gaining some appetite, everybody was more than ready for a three course lunch prepared by the staff of the G.L.C.I.

My personal highlight - it has to be said - was the media dinner on Thursday evening, once again at the G.L.C.I. I have never had so many courses of food as I had that night – five in total. Needless to say, everything was delicious! Drinking all the yummy wine that was served along with the food was a challenge, but a doable one for me.

On our ride back to Detroit on Friday afternoon, we again squeezed into the Jeep among the boxes, but this time there was silence in the car. Eleanor, Tedi and I had a lot of sleep to catch up with. Somehow, an average of four hours of sleep per night over the last couple of days was not enough for us.

For more pictures click here http://cli.gs/EjX00P

Miriam