Interns@AutoCom

2011-12-13T10:53:00.001-05:00

Goodbye and Happy Holidays!!

The time has come to bid farewell to everybody and everything in the U.S. It has been a wonderful and most enriching time over the last six months. I happened to see a country with the widest free market and most outspoken liberty in the world. At the same, time I have seen the historical part in interesting and infamous artifacts from the past, such the very first Model T or Mackinac Island. Having never thought about experiencing all this just some time ago, I will be leaving the U.S. with a big smile. For what it’s worth, there is no doubt that this internship is one, if not the, highlight of my student life, which I will remember for a long time. AutoCom made it all possible, for which I am really grateful for.

I met very many interesting people, like Jack, with his fundamental knowledge of everything he knows about the automotive industry. Taking his advice on trips in the States has proved to be quite helpful. Seeing Larry’s devotion to thing he does best, gives you an extra push with a high degree of motivation on top. Being driven by your passion for doing the things you love most forges only the best “know-how.” Craig is a great fellow to work with. One of his interests is your lunch and the places you go on the weekends. My team members certainly have left a good footprint during the last six months.

As for me, I think my biggest achievement was to see first-hand, how modern public relations has been transformed. I see my AutoCom life being a great momentum for years to come and certainly enough to tell stories for the next month back home.

Everything comes to an end, but endings are always followed by new beginnings. I am living this notion right now, so should my successor.

Thanks and take care,

Kiril

2011-10-27T12:41:00.001-04:00

Some time has passed …
Time flies with a speed light for me. Especially when you are juggling work and personal life. It has been several months since I have started at AutoCom. I have been incorporated in event planning, releases and various other tasks.

Besides my AutoCom life, I have had the opportunity to do some traveling. My short vacation to California and Nevada was overwhelming. Among the places I have been to, are San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Reno and Virginia City. The trip enriched me both visually and culturally. It stretched from picturesque landscapes and high deserts to phenomenal structures and outstanding scenic views. To me, surprisingly, every site visit was exceptionally beautiful. I am looking forward to my future travels. My plans are to visit the nearby city of Chicago and to New York City. The list, however, could be subject to change …

A cocktail of travel and work makes an overall great experience that is half-way through, but fortunately not over yet … I will keep you updated! Till then!

2011-09-29T15:29:00.002-04:00

Denise Bell, our Business Manager, celebrated her birthday with us in the office. The morning began with flowers and bagels and ended of with a great office-wide lunch. Even a serenade of “Happy Birthday to you!”. This was Denise’s first birthday at AutoCom. After work, she plans to continue her celebration with her four grandchildren, her oldest daughter and son-in-law.

Last Day at AutoCom

2011-08-19T09:10:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone!

This blog post will be my last as my internship is coming to an end. After four months, it is time for me to return home to Canada to continue my studies.

It is difficult to summarize my experience at AutoCom and in metro-Detroit in words. I have had a wonderful time and have enjoyed working with the amazing AutoCom team. I can say with great appreciation that I have learned valuable lessons from each person at AutoCom. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in the planning and execution of AutoCom’s events throughout the summer, including the 2011 Tech Crawl and AutoCom’s program in Traverse City. I look forward to applying the knowledge that I have gained throughout my internship to both my studies and my future endeavours.

All the Best!

Daryn

First Days

2011-06-28T16:17:00.001-04:00

My trip started as a roller-coaster ride with lightning surrounding me in the skies. The flight from Frankfurt to Detroit was torture and a stomach ache experience, which I have never experienced before. I landed on a new continent with the same weather conditions as the ones which saw me off in the Old World. At first, everything reminded of the same old Europe I am accustomed to. However, then came massive vehicles, wide and multiple traffic lanes and gigantic family houses. The popular American Dream stood before my very eyes.

The first day in the office reminded me of my first days at other work places. I got to know all the colleagues, familiarized myself with the policies and had a short introduction into the work flow of the company. I would say AutoCom has surpassed all my previous work places – the colleagues were exceptionally sincere, friendly and very helpful. The office appears to be a very cozy place with close family-like relationships. Every person at AutoCom has made a wonderful and sophisticated first impression. This will truly be a place where I can actually learn and achieve – the two keywords to which all young career starters strive.

Besides my internship, I am hoping to meet more interesting people. I want to get to know the American mentality first hand. Of course, traveling around the States and Canada is also on my “to-do” list. The future is very promising – I am excited to see what it brings!

Talk to you soon!

Kiril

DARYN AWDE AWARDED INTERNSHIP AT AUTOCOM ASSOCIATES

2011-06-07T12:55:00.001-04:00

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. – Daryn Awde has been awarded an internship at AutoCom Associates, a public relations agency focused on providing communications support to businesses in automotive, general transportation, aerospace, defense and related industries.

A native of London in Ontario, Canada, Awde will work as an account assistant supporting AutoCom clients in the areas of event planning and editorial services. He is pursuing a business administration degree at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.

Awde currently resides in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

AutoCom’s corporate clients include: A Raymond Tinnerman, Behr America, Coherix, Gage Products Company, Gibbs Technologies, GKN Driveline, Grammer Automotive, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., Icom North America, Stuttgart (Germany) Regional Economic Development Corp., Thetford Corporation and the Wallonia (Belgium) Office for Foreign Investors.

The agency’s pro-bono clients include: the Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Institute for Children and The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.

Based in Bloomfield Hills, AutoCom Associates provides public relations and other management consulting services to businesses and manufacturers working in a variety of transportation, aerospace, defense, general manufacturing and high-technology business sectors. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.usautocom.com.

Note to Editor: A High Resolution photo of Mr. Awde is available on request.

Media Contact:
Kerry Hokett
AutoCom Associates
Phone: (248) 647-8621
Email: Khokett@usautocom.com

Update!

2011-05-23T14:43:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone!

My second week here at AutoCom has begun! I thoroughly enjoyed my first week. Although I was kept quite busy, I feel as though I have already learned many new things and have been well acquainted with the work that AutoCom does. I have had the opportunity to work on several assignments for AutoCom’s clients. I was also able to sit in on two conference calls to clients in Europe, which I found it particularly interesting. The entire AutoCom team has been very welcoming and helpful. I have enjoyed exploring the Detroit area so far as well. Although the driving can be stressful, the area is wonderful.
Planning has begun for the upcoming Tech Crawl in June, so I am told that the office will be exceptionally busy in the upcoming weeks. I am looking forward to assisting with the event! I am here for just over three more months, and hope to contribute a great deal, and learn even more!

Daryn

Incoming Intern!

2011-05-18T14:45:00.004-04:00

Hello AutoCom,

My name is Kiril and I will be the upcoming member of AutoCom's great team.
I will start my internship sometime in June. I am looking forward to meeting
all of you and to work in a great and creative atmosphere. I am a student at
the Johannes-Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany and I am almost finished
with my Masters in Communications and Linguistics. Prior to my graduation I
would like to gain some great work experience in this industry.

My wish to go to another country for an internship is closely related with
my international and ever mobile background. I am a native Russian, however
grew up in the Baltic region. After graduating school I moved to England and
after spending some time to Germany. Later, I spent a half a year in
Scandinavia and now my course is set on a new continent. This is
particularly exciting in terms of me not ever being outside Europe before. I
am anxious to see and to get to know the industry, but more of course, all
you colleagues from Autocom.

Adios!!

2011-04-20T12:46:00.001-04:00

Hi-
It’s Brittany again. My internship has come to an end. I really have learned much in my short time here at AutoCom Associates. I was most excited to work on event planning when I began my internship. Fortunately, I was able to help out with an event, the SAE World Congress Supplier Dinner.

My experience here has really introduced me to what working in a PR firm will actually be like. It also has helped me become well-rounded, learning to do different aspects of public relations. I appreciate AutoCom showing me the ropes and hopefully I will utilize them upon graduation.

Well, it’s about that time to clock out. Until we meet again!

Brittany

Attention Past Interns

2011-04-15T16:17:00.001-04:00

All of us at AutoCom, employees and interns past and present, were profoundly saddened to learn of Johanna Rak's death earlier this week in Germany.

Johnna was a dear personal friend. She was a wonderful, deeply caring individual who was extremely intelligent, creative and hard working.

She touched in a personal way the lives of everyone with whom she worked. She always will live on in our memories. She will never be forgotten.

Our hearts go out to Sven, her family and her friends throughout the world.

Larry

There is an upcoming Intern at AutoCom Associates!!

2011-03-14T11:16:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone,

My name is Daryn Awde and I will be the newest addition to AutoCom when I begin my internship at the beginning of May. I am a student at the University of Western Ontario and will graduate with an Honors of Business Administration in 2013.

I have spent the last several summers studying internationally in South America, Europe, and North America. I am now looking forward to the great learning opportunities that await at AutoCom this summer. I have a great interest in the work that AutoCom does and anticipate having a very rewarding experience. I look forward to being able to continue blogging throughout my time at AutoCom.

Update From a Past AutoCom-er!

2011-02-23T16:05:00.010-05:00

>Hey AutoCom fans,

I am happy to write another blog entry today for AutoCom's intern blog. For those who don't know me: I used to work at AutoCom from October 2007 until August 2008. That seems so long ago when I think of the experiences I made since I left AutoCom but it also seems like yesterday every time I visit the office. I remember good times working with Andi, Holly, Christina, Paul, Emily, Lauren, Toni, Tedi, Jan, Maggie, Dee, Marty, Jack and Larry.

After I left AutoCom, I stayed in the states for three more weeks to visit Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. That was a great trip. For the first time, I did two days nothing but hiking. I was so exhausted... But hiking the Grand Canyon was amazing, the scenery was incredible.

After a goodbye party at my roommates house it was time to fly back home. In Germany, my family and friends organized a surprise party. And I'm telling you I was surprised!!! I had no idea... There were more than 30 people standing in my parents backyard. Since it was dark, I didn't see them and so I had no idea what was going on when all of the sudden 30-something people were screaming “SURPRISE” and then they switched on the lights.

In October 2008, I went back to the university to finish my master's degree. That was a lot of studying, several sleepless nights and hard work. My schedule was full of seminars and lectures, presentations, exams and portfolios.

During my semester brake (spring 2009), I did an internship at AutoCom's client Hella Electronics. That was a great experience. I worked in the marketing and business development department with Winfried. At Hella, I translated parts of Hella's webpage from German into English, prepared power point presentations for international meetings, created a poster for the SAE Japan 2009 trade show and did the research for news releases. A conference call with Andi and Marty reminded me of great times at AutoCom.

During summer break in 2009 as well as spring break 2010, I came back to the USA to visit friends. Also, a friend of mine got married and I experienced a wonderful outside wedding. I traveled to Chicago to see the old Chicago theater, very impressive! I also ate deep dish pizza because a friend of mine said that I HAVE to eat it! And she was right, it is delicious.

After finishing my master's thesis in October 2010, I visited Christina (also a former account assistant at AutoCom) in Austria. It was awesome. The nature is breathtaking and Vienna is beautiful. My favorite place to be was the Vienna opera house. We had a great time and a lot to talk about: our time at AutoCom as well as living in the states and of course about the past two years because we haven't seen each other since I left AutoCom.

I am now back in the states, I am staying in Illinois until February 24. This time I went to Chicago for its famous Christkindlmarkt, which is pretty common in Germany but not so famous in the states. It was great to visit this German tradition and prepared me for a German-American Christmas :)

That's it for now. But I'll stay in touch.

Silke

New Intern at AutoCom Associates

2011-02-07T17:16:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone,

As the new intern joining the AutoCom family, let me introduce myself. My name is Brittany Ponius, and I am 22 years old. I attend the University of Michigan- Dearborn, majoring in Communications with emphasis in Public Relations. I will graduate in the fall of 2011.

Previously, I had an internship at the Royal Oak Music Theater for AEG Live in winter and summer of 2010. My work consisted of various artists who performed there. While looking for my next internship I came upon AutoCom Associates. The description of the internship available seemed like it fits my interests.

My first day was January 27^th. Everyone is very pleasant and nice. You can look forward to future postings.

Bye-bye Michigan...

2011-01-28T16:15:00.002-05:00

I can’t believe that today is the last day of my internship at AutoCom! The last six months flew by so quickly and I had such a great time here that I will remember my whole life.

I appreciate having had the opportunity to be one of AutoCom’s interns and obtaining a good personal and professional experience.

I had an awesome time with AutoCom Associates and in the United States, in general. 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, turning right even when the traffic light is showing red, free drink refill in every restaurant, Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup and shopping. ;)

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’ve traveled many places here such as New York, Chicago, Washington, Toronto, Niagara Falls and Florida. I also met many interesting people.

Back in Germany I have one semester left until I receive my bachelor-degree. I will come back to the USA, for sure. I still have to make a trip to the West Coast. :)

I want to thank all of you for this awesome time here in the USA.

I am going to miss you all. :)

All best,

Anna

Season ended. To be continued.

2010-12-22T13:45:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends:

Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria...Four years in Germany. I have lived in different cities and esperienced different cultures, now I have spent one year in the U.S.!

I am very thankful for the chance to obtain a good personal and professional experience. I will always remember my interview with Larry over one year ago in the lobby of the Sheraton hotel in Frankfut-am-Main, Germany. It was a milestone! I am a completely different person since that time. I will miss all my colleagues from AutoCom very much! In the USA you better understand that we are truly leaving in a globalized world, more than anywhere else in the world!

Today is my last day by AutoCom. How do I feel about it? The time has come to close all open chapters and back-up the good times. For now I am planning to go to New York! I am looking forward for a world of new possibilities and challenges…season ended. To be continued.

I wish you all Happy Holidays!
Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr ;-)

All best,
Alina

Summer in Detroit

2010-09-10T14:00:00.002-04:00

Summer at AutoCom came and went quickly but it was quite eventful. I had the opportunity to get heavily involved in parts one and two of Tech Crawl 2010 and in the 2010 Traverse City CAR’s Management Briefing Seminars events.

My responsibilities included creating welcome letters for press kits, writing and sending media invitations, media and client RSVPs and much more.

AutoCom worked extremely hard in preparing our summer client events. I had the chance to work at the July 14 Tech Crawl, it was really cool to witness how my contributions helped make the event what it was – a success.

On a personal level, I had a great summer in Metro Detroit. I barbequed a lot and I discovered that I can make one heck of a chicken kabob. I also had the chance to explore the area’s dining scene and I’m thrilled to report that there are a ton of good ‘eats’ here. My favorite is Oishi Japanese Restaurant Sushi & Bar in Novi.

In between eating and working I managed to experience Michigan’s great outdoors, doing activities such as kayaking and canoeing on the Huron River. As summer winded down, I also got to witness a Detroit classic – the 16th Annual Woodward Dream Cruise. There’s nothing quite like watching thousands of classic custom hotrods and muscle cars roll down the street.

I hope everyone else had a great summer.

-Nathan

New In Town

2010-08-23T09:18:00.004-04:00

I am Anna Schuhmacher and I am the second of the two new interns at AutoCom Associates. I am from Germany and next year I plan to graduate with a B.A. in international business with focus on marketing at the University of Technology and Business (HTW) in Aalen, Germany.
I am 25 years old and live in Schwaebisch Hall, Germany.
Prior to studying at HTW Aalen I was certified as an industrial business management assistant by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Stuttgart, after having completed a 2.5-year apprenticeship in January 2008 in Winnenden, Germany.

It’s my first time in the U.S. and I am very happy to be here. It has always been my dream to live here for a long period of time.
To me, the most impressive thing in America are the Americans themselves. They are always very nice and helpful. They also have huge cars, which you hardly see in Germany.

Due to organizational obligations, my first week went by very quickly. Meanwhile, I am already feeling very comfortable in the U.S., especially at AutoCom. Everyone at AutoCom is so kind and very obliging! I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a successful team. I look forward to learning as much as I can over the next few months!

Best,

Anna

Goodbye Michigan

2010-08-11T10:57:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone,

I have been working as an intern at AutoCom for six months and now it is time to say goodbye. I am always going to remember the fun I had working and traveling around the U.S. I would like to thank you all for being part of my life in Michigan.

I gained a lot of experience by taking part on the organization of events such as Tech Crawl and Traverse City. There is so much you can learn by participating in these types of events. I also had the opportunity to work everyday with people that were interested in sharing their wisdom and knowledge with me.

I’m going to miss my life as an Intern at AutoCom. I hope I will be able to keep in touch with the people that made my internship a wonderful and unforgettable journey.

Best Regards,

Viviane

Tech Crawl 2010

2010-07-02T16:22:00.004-04:00

Dear All,

On June 30 AutoCom clients hosted the first of two half-day sessions of Tech Crawl 2010. This year the program was held at The Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth and was sponsored by the following clients: Concorde Marine, Gage Products, Gibbs Technologies, Grammer, Hella Lighting, Hella Electronics, and Plex Systems. It was a good opportunity for journalists and businesses to come together and communicate informally.

The program began with a breakfast followed by several presentations. Especially exciting was a visit to Hella’s facility for technology demonstrations and displays. Afterward the delegation returned to The Inn at St. John’s for a German-themed lunch. The event concluded with an optional golf outing.

The AutoCom team spent countless hours preparing for Tech Crawl. We hope that everybody enjoyed the program as much as we did! It was a valuable experience for me to participate in the event preparation process and to improve my management skills.

We hope you join us for the second session of Tech Crawl on July 14!

All best,
Alina

For Immediate Release: A New Male Intern

2010-06-10T11:37:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone,

My name’s Nathan Ichtertz and I’m the other new summer intern here at AutoCom. I’ve been here for two weeks so far and am enjoying working with a bunch of great people!

A little about me: I’m 22 years old; I was born in Arizona, grew up near the Central Coast in California and attended college in Oregon. Now I’m launching my public relations career in Metro Detroit.

Like many young PR practitioners, I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations; but I had the opportunity to watch PR unfold from the other side – as a journalist.

Witnessing my editors get peppered with dozens of boring, wordy news releases taught me an important lesson – being an effective communicator is vital to successful public relations. In the PR world, if your communication skills aren’t up to par, your pitch to the media will end up in the media member’s e-mail trash folder.

In working as a reporter, I found that the best PR people are confident, articulate, knowledgeable and capable of delivering superior media relations. My goal at AutoCom is to acquire these skills and use them to the best of my ability.

I look forward to working with each of you and building on what’s already a successful team at AutoCom.

-Nathan

A new face in town!

2010-05-27T14:23:00.005-04:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Martyna Mackiewicz and I am the new summer intern here at AutoCom Associates. Just a couple of weeks ago I graduated from Wayne State University with a bachelor’s degree in English. My college career was nothing short of simple and straightforward. I endured many pre-medicine classes along with psychology and art history until eventually I found an attraction for literature and writing.

The four years I have spent at Wayne State helped me to understand the importance of involvement with a struggling city such as Detroit. Planting trees in Detroit neighborhoods and visiting Detroit high schools shaped my awareness about economic and social problems surrounding such an urban city.

At the end of my junior year of college I was granted an internship at WDET 101.9 Detroit Public Radio station in the public relations sector. This experience allowed me to become acquainted with programs and activities Detroit has to offer. After three months at WDET, I wanted to expand my knowledge of public relations.

During my interview with Larry, Marty and Craig I was impressed with the magnitude and quality of clients working with AutoCom Associates. The diverse employee pool, involving interns from all around the world struck me with awe, as I was happy to work along people of varying ideas and backgrounds. This internship presents a very exciting opportunity while it also becomes a stepping stone towards my goals in public relations.

So far I have become familiar with the inner workings of the company. I am very excited to participate in the upcoming events such as Tech Crawl and Traverse City.

Until next time!

Martyna Mackiewicz

Hello spring!

2010-05-12T11:52:00.010-04:00

It’s time to welcome spring and put your heavy jackets away to the back of the closet. It is also time to update everyone on how my internship has been going so far. I can’t believe it’s been almost three months since I started at AutoCom.

Summarizing my experience at AutoCom so far, I can say that I’ve managed to learn a lot and I have had some great experiences. I had the opportunity to take part in the organization of a few events, such as the SAE World Congress Dinner, which was previously discussed by Alina in her last blog.

A few weeks ago, I attended the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual banquet. It was a very nice event with an informal atmosphere. It was nice to see all the major Detroit journalists gathered in one place, mingling and talking about their jobs, while the emcee’s of the event where announcing the awards.

I always thought that events like these would be very serious and people would get bored after a few minutes. However, it’s needless to say that I was completely wrong. The presenters managed to prove that the ceremony can be very dynamic when conducted in a very light and informal way, while still being an important and a prestigious event.

I have also had the chance to travel around the United States and Canada. In fact, last weekend I went to Toronto and Niagara Falls. Toronto is a typical big city, with at least one Starbucks on every corner and many people walking down the street in the City Centre. Niagara Falls has a relaxing atmosphere with very beautiful scenery, which I will never forget.

Well, that’s all I have to say for now, I’ll be back in the next couple weeks with another update.

Cheers,

Viviane

The 2010 SAE World Congress Dinner

2010-04-19T15:59:00.009-04:00

Communication works for those who work at it
John Powell (1963 - …)

Greetings from Detroit!

Last Tuesday, April 13, Kerry, Tedi and I were riding in a glass elevator up to the 72nd floor of the Renaissance Center and enjoying an awesome view of Detroit. The city was below our feet. We could even see the Ambassador Bridge, which connects the U.S. and Canada over the Detroit River. On this brilliantly, sunny spring day, AutoCom held its 2010 SAE World Congress Dinner for clients and journalists.

When Kerry, Tedi and I were finished setting things up for the evening, we did not miss the opportunity to pose for pictures, including some photos on a big blue “queen’s chair” and in front of the great view. As guests were arriving, we helped everybody find their seats and choose their dinner option. I was also able to speak with many fascinating people during the evening. Earlier in my studies, I wanted to become a journalist, so being sat with journalists from Reuters, the Detroit Free Press and TheAutoChannel.com, it was easy to find conversation topics. My boss, Larry Weis, and Kerry were also sitting at my table, so that made the atmosphere more relaxing for me. The journalists were fascinated that AutoCom always has interns from all over the world, from countries like Brazil, Germany and Ukraine. It’s funny; we are truly living in a globalized world.

Looking over the skyline of Detroit as the night was ending, I was a bit upset to leave. I would like to return to the Renaissance Center someday. Even though I may not, I will always have memories about a great day and great communication!

Best,

Alina

Time after time...

2010-03-04T09:18:00.010-05:00

If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves

Maria Edgeworth (1767 - 1849)

Dear All,

Time flies faster and faster... And that is not only a figure of speech. Chile’s recent earthquake shortened the Earth’s day by 1.26 milliseconds, according to a NASA scientist's computer model. Time is of course measured, but it is also your perception. In my opinion, our life consists of memories and experiences we gather throughout our existence. One of these valuable memories I am making is my internship in the U.S.

It is my third month into my internship and every day brings something new. Just the other day I participated in a telephone conference with our client Hella Lighting. We had five people on the line discussing the efficiency of HID technology: a journalist in San Diego, CA, the marketing manager of Hella Lighting in Plymouth, MI, the vice president of marketing of Hella Lighting in Lippstadt, Germany, Marty Habalewsky, a vice president of AutoCom, and myself in Bloomfield Hills, MI. It’s amazing how technology can make your time more efficient. During my internship, I have gotten to know many interesting people, experience the American business style and enrich my understanding of the PR field. Besides my professional experience, I have had my car towed out of the snow and had my right light damaged in a minor accident that involves the very confusing “Michigan left turn”.

Coming back to time…It is important to accomplish your goals in the time you have. If you imagine your life like a recipe, each ingredient should be well balanced. Thanks to AutoCom, my life is more harmonized in terms of a valuable professional and personal enrichment.

Don’t hesitate to apply for an internship with AutoCom to create your own experience – and remember that your greatest resource is time you have.

I will keep in touch!

Alina

Hi everyone!

2010-02-16T14:50:00.004-05:00

Dear All,

I would like to introduce myself, my name is Viviane and I’m the new intern. I’ll be working here at AutoCom Associates until mid - August. Since the majority of the interns have been Germans, I would say that I am probably the first Brazilian Intern at AutoCom.

First of all, I want to tell you a bit about my background. I’m 25 years old and I have been living in Holland for the past three years, where I am pursuing a bachelor degree in European Studies. For some strange reason, I decided to go to Holland, despite my parent’s pleadings that I should have gone to England. It was a nice experience and it was also the first time that I was living abroad.

If you are asking yourself what a bachelor in European Studies really means, I can say that the program is a mixture of Politics, European law, Economics and there is also a great deal of communication classes. Therefore, this internship will be the ideal opportunity to put into practice what I have learned at the University.

Additionally, this internship will be a nice opportunity to experience a different culture and extremely low temperatures. I’m not used to very cold winters, I’m a Brazilian that has been living abroad for a while, but in Holland the winter is not as cold as in Detroit. I arrived a few days ago and I’m already settled down. I live in a nice house with two other roommates. One of them is German and the other one is American. So far, I’ve been driving a rental car. However, I will buy a car pretty soon.

I’m very excited about being here and I can’t wait to start working at the office. I’ll keep you all posted about my life in Detroit.

Viviane

Winter Update

2010-02-09T15:10:00.020-05:00

Back in autumn, I remember reading in travel guides about the images of “snow covered landscapes” and several different options of winter activities in Michigan, such as snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc. I somehow liked the idea of living in this winter wonderland! As it turns out, it has been a very mild winter so far, which means I haven’t had to scrape snow off my car every day! Although it seems I have spoke too soon in this case, we are actually expecting 6-10 inches of snow by tomorrow morning and even more snow throughout the week!

After speaking with family and friends from Germany, it made me feel more fortunate during this last month, since they are nearly at the end of their patience, in the middle of a snow storm. Extreme temperatures have been observed all over the world, in places like China, Korea and India. In the U.S., Washington D.C. is near to setting the record for all-time snowfall this winter, snow that would probably be more appreciated in Vancouver!

With all of the weather irregularities, the concerns of global warming are brought back to everyone’s mind - although it seems to be contrasting! This is at least one advantage of the cold!

Certainly, not having had much snow so far doesn’t mean that I have not experienced cold temperatures. Over Christmas I spent three days in Chicago with my boyfriend. The city forced me to buy a new coat as soon as I arrived, but once I was well bundled up, I very much enjoyed my stay in ‘The Windy City’. We went on sightseeing trips, to museums, shopping and watched people ice skating in Millenium Park. I would love to go back some day!

Another impressive experience I have had, has definitely been our visit to Niagara Falls, on our way to Toronto on New Year's Eve. Seeing all the powerful water crashing down I didn’t even care about the cold rain we were standing in. Also, Toronto is a wonderful city and I had a great time, despite the extremely cold temperature. After several cups of hot coffee, we managed to see everything we had planned by walking! I am delighted with the diversity we experienced in Toronto and its architectural highlights.

So, whatever temperature, I am prepared and I am even still hoping for a little bit more snow as long as I am here…And remember, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing!

Julia

Tata Nano - A Small Car with a Big Future

2010-01-15T15:45:00.082-05:00

Tata Technologies unveils the Tata Nano, designed as 'World's cheapest car'. The people's car from Tata Motors is not a question. It is the answer.

Can you imagine a brand-new car for $2,500? No, it’s not a motorbike or a scooter… it is the world’s cheapest production car, the Tata Nano. On Thursday, January, 14 a mini Indian car was unveiled to North America. The auto market has changed. It is a global trend that today’s demand is leaning more towards mini cars. It is time to be efficient. It is time for the Tata Nano.

At the Detroit Science Center, Kerry Hokett and I welcomed over 50 journalists that took part at Tata Technologies’ media briefing. As I looked around the room, I saw cameras flashing, video cameras rolling, people posing around the car, smiling Tata Technologies team eager to help and of course the small Tata Nano was the center of attention. But that was later...

First, entering the hall, we saw a small car’s silhouette under a gray cover. Marty Habalewsky was talking to Warren Harris, Tata Technologies’ President and COO and introduced us to the Tata Technologies management. Marty was very enthusiastic.

As my first event in the U.S., I was a bit nervous but Marty assured me that everything was running smoothly. Kerry and I greeted journalists at the registration desk with press kits and a friendly smile. Larry Weis came soon to greet journalists at the media briefing. It was a friendly atmosphere and we felt the overall reaction to the mini car was positive.

Alina

Hello Detroit!

2010-01-06T12:10:00.006-05:00

Dear AutoCom Team,
Dear All,

Six months ago I was sitting in the lobby at the Sheraton Frankfurt hotel in Germany, waiting for an interview with Larry. I ordered a fresh strawberry juice that for some reason had a blue coloring and strongly resembled a cocktail. I realized that it looked like I was drinking a cocktail, relaxing before the interview at 1:00 pm. In that connection, I was thinking about the importance of the first impression…Good thing I can laugh at myself!

And here I am. My name is Alina Kharchenko and I am a new intern for the next six months; I am 25 years old and come from Ukraine. Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in International Business at Nuremberg University, Germany. Regarding my work experience on the field of marketing and PR, I interned at Bosch Security Systems, Munich Area, at the department for Marketing and Communication. I took part in several projects covering Europe, South Africa and Asia. Automotive background is also present in my work biography, as I served at Bosch Gasoline Systems, a developer and manufacturer of modern gasoline-engine systems, on the field of human resource management. I am very excited about the opportunity to gain a valuable experience at AutoCom and to get to know the way of doing business in the U.S!

Thus, I am happy to be in Detroit, the birthplace of the American car industry. The city of the Big Three. The city of contrasts. The city that has gained its world fame not only through the assembly line developed by Ford Motor Company, Greenfield Village, the GM Renaissance Center, but also - causing by that auto industry decline - through hundreds of abandoned houses, empty factories and ruined skyscrapers. The city that is often called the Industrial Ghost.

I believe the future of Detroit and its suburbs depends on such small companies, like AutoCom, that help keep people employed. Although, if corporations and the U.S. government would consolidate their efforts in revitalization of industrial policy, maybe, then one could really say dreams made, dreams lost and dreams built again?

Alina

Jack inducted into PRSA Detroit Chapter Hall of Fame!

2009-11-23T11:03:00.008-05:00

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

2009-10-20T14:53:00.001-04:00

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!

2009-10-13T09:35:00.012-04:00

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!

2009-08-28T16:21:00.009-04:00

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

2009-08-14T11:03:00.008-04:00

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

Detroit Tech Crawl 2009

2009-07-22T13:33:00.008-04:00

Hey everyone!

As you know, Tech Crawl, one of AutoCom’s most exciting events, takes place every year in July. This year, the program was held on July 16th and featured companies included Behr America, Dassault Systemes, Eberspacher, GKN Driveline, Icom North America, Intermap Technologies, and NextEnergy.

As Tech Crawl was themed as “Going Green,” journalists learned about exciting technologies such as new environmentally friendly materials and alternative fuel and mapping systems.

Click here (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=136682&id=89438790952 ) to see more photos from the event!

Merrill

Pure Michigan

2009-06-24T10:47:00.005-04:00

Last Friday, Annika and I headed “up north” towards Traverse City with a bunch of German interns.

After being woken up by a tremendous, earthshaking thunderstorm, we left Royal Oak around 8.30 a.m. With no traffic jams or accidents on the streets, we arrived at Silver Lake around lunch time.

Following a tour through the house (which, by the way, was beautiful), the rooms needed to be allocated. Finding a spot to sleep for all 18 people wasn’t easy, but in the end, everybody had some sort of a bed.

We spent Friday exploring the lake behind our house, barbecuing, playing sports, dancing and having a good time. I am still surprised that none of the neighbors called the police, seeing as they had enough reason to. Having a bonfire, using the outdoor bar, swimming in the lake, having music turned up and using outdoor loudspeakers - all of this until 4.30 a.m. - should be enough to get neighbors annoyed.

As you can imagine, the next day didn’t start too early. When we finally did wake up, we went on a wine tasting tour. After having had several (tiny) glasses of delicious wine, sun-bathing at the Traverse City beach was the next stop on our to-do list. Back at the house, the day ended as the night before, with food, drinks and a lot of fun!

On Sunday, we got up early - at around 9.30 a.m. - to clean the house before heading off to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The cleaning went surprisingly well and we were able to leave the house around noon.

After arriving at the national park, we climbed up the famous sand dunes. It looks a lot easier than it actually is - that I can assure you. The sand is so hot; you better hurry up walking if you don’t want your feet getting burnt! But we made it and - as a treat to ourselves - we spent the rest of the day on the beach at Lake Michigan.

In the late afternoon, we headed back to Detroit. It took us five and a half hours to get back, friends of ours made it in four hours – with a speeding ticket and a $100 fee.

Miriam

You guessed it…another new intern!

2009-06-23T09:25:00.001-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Just thought I would briefly introduce myself. I am the newest intern here at AutoCom and today is my first day!

My name is Eleanor Widdett and I just completed my second year at Swansea University in Wales. I plan to graduate next year with a B.A. in Business Management. I am originally from Coventry, England, however I moved to Lippstadt, Germany with my parents and siblings at the age of ten. We then moved to Bloomfield Hills, MI in 2005 where I attended the International Academy for my final two years of high school. I enjoyed my time in both Germany and the U.S. tremendously and am glad to be back in the States for the summer!

Similar to Merrill this internship is also my first experience in the business world and I look forward to learning as much as I can between now and September when I head back to school. Having taken classes from Accounting and Finance to Human Resource Management and done all the book work I now feel ready to put my knowledge to the test and gain some hands on experience in the business world here at AutoCom.

I have only been at AutoCom for a day and yet I already feel at home and part of the team. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful, a wonderful introduction to the following months to come.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity AutoCom , I hope to make the most of it and look forward to learning as much as I can over the next few months!

Eleanor

Put your hands up for Detroit

2009-06-18T16:58:00.010-04:00

Yesterday I took a look at all our former blog entries and I noticed that the content is about nearly every city in the United States except Detroit. Because of this I don’t write about my last New York trip but about all the things you can do in the Detroit area.

Every time somebody asks me where I come from and I respond “I live in Detroit”, the answer is: Ohh! Poor girl! Then my first thought was: “You don’t know anything about Detroit!”

Detroit is a vibrant area with many fun and exciting things to do and places to visit.
The view from the GM-Tower over the Detroit River and Windsor is spectacular. No matter if you go there at day- or nighttime. If you are interested in culture you can visit one of the numerous museums, like the Ford Museum, or discover one of the largest and most significant Institutes of Arts the DIA. I really like the Native American landscape paintings.

Another exciting experience is the Eastern Market. Besides flowers and Detroit souvenirs, you have an impressive selection of fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and fish for a very good price. You should try the spare ribs or the chicken breast from the biggest grill I ever saw. It’s just delicious.
But the Market gets its special flair from the people. While sitting in front of a few bars, they are talking, singing and dancing.
If you are searching for European bread, cake or pizza you should stop by Avalon Bakery on W. Willis Street.

A few weeks ago I visited the Heidelberg Project. Tyree Guyton started to transform Heidelberg Street into a massive art environment in 1986.
As a twelve year old boy he suffered from the tragic effects of the Detroit riots.
Many neighborhoods became segregated urban ghettos characterized by poverty, abandonment and despair. That’s the reason he decided to clean up Elba Street and Heidelberg Street by converting houses and trees in “gigantic art sculptures.”

Other impressive buildings are the Michigan Central Station or the Packert Plant. It is scary when you are in front of these huge abandoned buildings, but there is nothing to worry about. At the Packert Plant we met a police officer, who suggested going inside, because it is a safe place. It was really interesting! Like an old museum. You can discover offices, bathrooms, living rooms…

On Memorial Day, I went with a bunch of friends to the Electronic Music Festival downtown. It was located in the heart of Detroit Hart Plaza next to the Renaissance Center. The first Detroit Electronic Music Festival was held in 2000 and was intended to give Detroit and its overlooked history of electronic music major exposure both locally and nationally. It is the celebration of the birthplace of techno music.
There are four stages where you can hear and feel music from the best DJs all over the world. To be honest I never was a big fan of this kind of music but the feeling of the bass and the atmosphere make it to a very peculiar experience.
Downtown there are other music events: the Jazz Festival, the Country Music Festival etc., nearly every weekend. It is nice to walk through the crowded streets and the river front, or sit down in one of the numerous bars and restaurants.

Another special tip is the funky night. It was one of my first nights here in Detroit. It was exactly what I expected when I came to Detroit. An old abandon factory with lots of scary people, who were hanging around parking lots. After a few minutes we found out that the scariest looking people were other interns from Germany. How movies and rumors can change your perception!
Unfortunately we decided to drive home after we waited 2 hours in the line. But the music sounds very good and next time we will head off earlier.

Detroit is also a sports-rich place, with the Tigers at Comerica Park, the Lions at Ford Field and the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. The Pistons don’t play downtown but at the Palace of Auburn Hills. It is very exciting to watch all of these games.
We watched the Pistons vs. the Chicago Bulls a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t just the game that caught our attention, but the cheerleaders, the singer of the national anthem etc. It is also exciting to watch the game in a bar. The Stanley Cup was a great experience to feel the strong bond and the local pride of Detroiters.

If you want to do sports on your own, you should go to one of the metro-beaches in the Detroit area. Lots of people do bicycling, running, swimming, inline skating, playing volleyball, basketball or tennis or just hanging around in the sun.

If you don’t know Detroit I hope you got a good impression of this city. I really love Detroit and I am sad that it has this bad reputation.
I am very happy that I got the chance to stay the whole summer in Michigan.

Annika

The newest edition to AutoCom's family!

2009-06-11T15:49:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone!

I am a new intern, and I am so excited to be a part of the family here at AutoCom! My name is Merrill Hendrickson, and I am 19 years old. Even though today is only my second day here, I can already tell that this internship will be an extremely rewarding experience for me. I immediately felt a part of the team yesterday after receiving such a warm welcome from everyone.

Although I call Bloomfield Hills my home, I attend Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, and am really looking forward to heading back to Music City in the fall for my sophomore year! I have not declared a major yet, however, I am planning on majoring in Communications, and minoring in Managerial Studies with a focus on Corporate Strategy.

This internship at AutoCom is my first foray into the business world, and I am grateful for all of the guidance I have received already from Tedi and Sara, and especially Larry, for letting me join the team! Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity!

I look forward to working with all of you this summer, and learning all about public relations!

Merrill

Annika and Miriam in the News!

2009-06-04T15:34:00.012-04:00

Detroit News, June 4, 2009:

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20090604/BIZ/906040361/1001/bizOakland m/article/20090604/BIZ/906040361/1001/bizOakland

Oakland Press, May 28, 2009:

New York, New York!

2009-05-29T13:00:00.023-04:00

In my bedroom at my parents’ house in Germany, I have a framed poster of New York City on my wall. Literally every night before I fell asleep, I would look at it thinking one day I will make it to NYC. Turned out, this “one day” was May 21, 2009.

When we got on the plane towards New York, I was scared to death. Just in case I haven’t mentioned it before, I am afraid of heights, and going on a plane is the worst. Luckily, I sat next to a chatty Indian guy who kept me distracted from the fact that I was thousands of feet above the ground. I am pretty sure I would not have appreciated his company as much if we had been on a bus together…

After arriving to the famous John F. Kennedy airport, my friend (a German intern at Porsche) and I went straight (and in New York this means two hours) to our hotel. By the time we got there it was 1:00 a.m. and we were quite exhausted. We went right to bed, not even noticing that we had a room with view on the Chrysler Building until the next morning!

We started the day with a delicious cream bagel and then headed towards the Rockefeller Center. We got on “Top of the Rock” – the observatory platform – where we had an awesome view of the Big Apple. After taking millions of pictures we made our way to Times Square – together with hundreds of other (mainly German) tourists. Around noon it became awful hot and we decided to walk towards Chelsea and Greenwich Village, along the Hudson River. In Chelsea, my friend and I visited a few art galleries. Some of them were really crazy, but at least they had air conditioning! We almost bought a piece of artwork by Andy Warhol if it wouldn’t have cost $ 200, 000.

After our tour through Greenwich Village and a yummy Italian ice cream, we headed back to our hotel in order to get ready for the ballet show at Lincoln Center. The ballet was fantastic and afterwards we indulged ourselves with food and drinks at a very New Yorky restaurant. On our way back to the hotel we passed the Times Square once again, but this time at night although it felt like daytime due to all the bright lights. By the way, we didn’t use the subway once this day. Yes, we walked from 42nd street via Rockefeller Center down to Greenwich Village at 4th street and all the way back!

The next morning started early. The first target on our sightseeing list for the day was jogging through Central Park. Frankly, it was more like a stop and go. Although we tried our best pretending to be real New Yorkers, we still were tourists and had to take as many pictures as possible.

The Statute of Liberty, eating a New Yorker hotdog and exploring the Financial District were next on the list. When we walked through Battery Park on our way to the Statute of Liberty, we passed the “Sphere” – a sculpture that originally was displayed in front of the World Trade Center and somehow survived the 9/11 attacks without too many damages. It has become a symbol of hope as well as a reminder of the victims of the attacks. The sculpture was moved to Battery Park after 9/11 and has been there ever since. Long story, but you will find out in a second where I am getting at. Have a guess, where the sculptor is from. His name is Fritz Koenig and yes, he is from Landshut, Germany – my hometown! Probably our most famous citizen!

That same day we spontaneously decided to see a musical in the evening. We bought tickets for “Hair” (don’t ask how much we paid!) before we went to Little Italy for dinner. Andi gave us this recommendation and she was so right about it! It really felt like being in Italy with all the chairs and tables outside and the Italian waiters asking you to come in and dine at their restaurant.

After a fantastic musical show we wanted to see the Brooklyn Bridge by night. And what a surprise, we got lost! So we asked two girls that were passing by where we need to go. They were very nice and walked us half way to our destination. Never ever say again that New York people are unfriendly! After having been on the bridge we got on a taxi because firstly, we couldn’t walk anymore and secondly, you have to use the yellow taxis at least once while you are in NYC! We then went to a bar in the Financial District that was very busy during daytime, but as it turned out, not so much during night.

By Sunday, our feet were killing us! We went to see all the things we hadn’t seen so far like Macy’s, Soho and Chinatown. We were amazed by the wonderful buildings and boutiques in Soho, but disappointed by Macy’s. For lunch we went to Chinatown where we also bought the legendary “I love New York” t-shirts. Afterwards we relaxed at Central Park before we got our baggage from the hotel and headed to the airport.

During our subway ride to the airport I was worried we would miss our flight. We had only two hours to get from Midtown Manhattan to the boarding check point at JFK. Luckily we were able to get there in time and as it turned out there wasn’t any reason to worry in the first place. Our flight had a two hours delay. Instead of leaving JFK at 7:05 p.m., our plane took off at 9:05 p.m. Exhausted but happy we arrived in Detroit at around 10:30 p.m.

What else is left to say, but “I love New York!”

Miriam

Doreen’s Travel Journal

2009-05-27T15:52:00.012-04:00

Hey AutoComers,

here is a little summary of my journey to California and Costa Rica. Hope you enjoy it and don’t get too envious! :-P

Three days after my last day @AutoCom I started my big trip, which I was looking forward to for such a long time. My first destination was Los Angeles, where I spent four nights in a very nice hostel. I met so many people from all over the world there and we took tours arranged by the hostel (for example to the Getty Museum). Besides that I saw walls, fences and (sometimes) houses of celebrities during a so-called “LA city tour.” But luckily, the bus also stopped at the famous spots, such as the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame and Universal Studios.

By the end of the week I got a rental car and headed south towards the Mexican border with stopovers at beautiful beaches like Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach. After taking tons of pictures and videos I finally reached my destination, San Diego. I spent a whole week there doing activities like visiting the world famous zoo, walking on white sanded beaches and catching grunions at night. I even took a tour with an amphibious car called “The Seal!”

Unfortunately my stay in SD was influenced by a lot of worries concerning the swine flu. As you know, I actually wanted to fly to Cancun to spend two weeks in Mexico/Yucatan. Two days before my flight I decided together with my friend Sebastian to change that plan. With absolutely no clue about Costa Rica I met him in the capital San José to start our vacation in Central America.

From this day on we called our travel guide “Lonely Planet” our “Bible,” because it told us where to go, where to sleep, where to eat and what to do! We traveled by bus and boat through the country and could therefore see a lot of beautiful landscapes.

We did a lot of fun things in the different places. For instance, we canopied in La Fortuna, hiked the cloud forests in Monte Verde and rode horses on the beaches of Montezuma. It was nice!! I especially fell in love with Montezuma because we could lay in hammocks at the Pacific ocean, snorkel near the small island Tortuga and just relax with some refreshing fruit shakes in our hands and music in our ears.

After this chill-out part of our trip we headed back to San José (with a night in between in not-so great Jacó) and finished our vacation on the roof-deck of our fancy hostel with a beautiful view over the lighted city.

Doreen

Czichon and Schlueter Join AutoCom Associates

2009-05-27T10:42:00.003-04:00

It took us a while...but better late than never!

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. – Miriam Czichon and Annika Schlueter have been awarded six-month internships as account assistants at AutoCom Associates, a global public relations agency providing communications support to automotive and high-technology businesses.

Czichon and Schlueter will support AutoCom clients with international event planning, editorial services and media relations.
A native of Landshut, Germany, Czichon will work with various AutoCom clients, including GKN Driveline, Gibbs Technologies, Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.
Czichon is currently studying international cultural and business studies with a focus on Anglo-American culture at the University of Passau in Germany. Prior to joining AutoCom, she interned at the regional office of Bavaria in Brussels, Belgium, an organization that consults and supports the Bavarian government on European Union (EU) politics.
A native of Paderborn, Germany, Schlueter has been assigned to a number of AutoCom client teams, including Hella KGaA Hueck & Co, Intermap, Thetford and The Detroit Institute for Children.

Schlueter currently is studying business administration with a focus on marketing, human resources and psychology at the University of Giessen. Prior to joining AutoCom, she interned at Hella KGaA Hueck & Co in Lippstadt, Germany. Hella is a leading automotive parts supplier that develops and manufactures components and systems for lighting technology and electronics for the automotive industry.

Schlueter and Czichon both live in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Based in Bloomfield Hills, AutoCom Associates provides public relations and management consulting services to businesses working in the global automotive industry.

AutoCom clients include: Avon Automotive, Behr America, Behr-Hella Thermocontrol, Bloodhound, Coherix, Compared Insurance Inc., Detroit Institute for Children, Dongah Tire & Rubber Corp., Eberspächer, ecarlist, Eview 360, Gage Products Company, GKN Driveline, Grammer Automotive, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., Intermap, InterRegs, Karmann USA, MANN+HUMMEL, Novelis, Safford & Baker, Stuttgart (Germany) Regional Economic Development Corp., Thetford, Trubiquity (formerly Autoweb) and Wallonia (Belgium) Office for Foreign Investors.

A new chapter of life begins

2009-05-19T16:22:00.011-04:00

Dear AutoComers,

To keep you all updated, I wanted to let you all know that I am no longer Bianca Bischoff, the crazy German anymore. Now I am Bianca Clark, the crazy Germarican. On April 16th 2009 I married my fiancé and best friend Jason at Heritage Gardens, Shelby Township.

For all those who don't know me and the history…I did my internship in spring/summer 2006 with AutoCom and had one of the best times and experiences in my life. During that time I met my (now) husband who worked with one of my roommates. As destiny wanted it to be he speaks some German, loves Germany and works for Mercedes Benz Engines at Detroit Diesel. So we had the opportunity to spend some time together in Germany (as I am from Stuttgart, the Mercedes headquarter). After two years of traveling back and forth between the States and Germany, Jason proposed me last year in September during my visit. And after another 6 months of waiting for my visa and getting ready for the big step across the ocean, I am here. So this is the brief background of our history.

We had such a beautiful wedding. The weather was perfect, a little chilly, in the lower 60s with a lot of sunshine. As none of my friends could make it and even from my family just my dad could join us, we didn't have a wedding party (bridesmaids and groomsmen). But we had a really cute flower girl and my dad walked me down the aisle. The Gazebo in the park, where we got married, was set up really beautiful by Jason's aunt. And we took pictures there afterwards, too. One of the best things on my wedding day was, that my best American friend Maggie (yes the AutoCom Maggie) could join us.

The reception took place at the Gazebo Banquet Center in Warren and we had a really good and fun time with our family and close friends.

We spend the wedding night and another two days at the Marriot Downtown in the Renaissance Center. It was beautiful!!! I love Downtown! We didn't do our honeymoon right away, as I am not allowed to leave the country right now. But we are planning on going on a later honeymoon next year. We thought about the Virgin Islands or something like that. So we will see. Maybe another report about that will come up.

I don't have my own car yet, but as soon as I am able to, I will stop by and show you guys some more pictures.

Take care,

Bianca

It feels good to be home!

2009-05-18T15:30:00.001-04:00

After completing my third year at Northern Michigan University in the Upper Peninsula, it feels good to be back home and in the office again. Larry was very gracious in allowing me to come back to AutoCom.

For those of you that do not know me, my name is Tedi Falvo. Last summer I did an internship with AutoCom, and learned a lot about public relations outside of the classroom. Books can only teach you so much- the real learning comes when you go out on your own and put everything you have learned to the test. Last summer was a great experience, and I was thankful to work with such a great staff that was willing to help me succeed.

While I was in Marquette, Mich. continuing my studies in public relations, and sociology, I remained in contact with AutoCom. When I had a question regarding an aspect of my studies, I always knew where to turn! It is nice to have wonderful people surrounding and filling you with all of their knowledge. That is one aspect I love about working here-everyone works together as a team.

This is my second week back at AutoCom, and I am keeping myself busy with planning for our 6th annual Tech Crawl, and the Management briefing seminars in Traverse City, Michigan.

I look forward to working with you during the summer months ahead!

Tedi

A Day in the Life of AutoCom...

2009-05-15T10:56:00.010-04:00

Have you always wondered what Larry, Marty, Jan, Andi, Holly, Sara and the interns are doing in the office each day?

Now you have the chance to find out! All you need to do is become a fan of AutoCom Associates on Facebookor follow us on Twitter (@AutoComDetroit).

This way you will always be updated on what is going on at AutoCom. Looking forward to seeing you!

Miriam

Art is all around…

2009-05-13T09:59:00.002-04:00

Last weekend was dedicated to the arts! It started off with the Automotive Recycled Technology Art Exhibition at Behr America on Friday afternoon. Art students from Wayne State University created artworks out of recycled automotive parts provided by Behr America. They did a wonderful job, although I couldn’t always tell what the exhibits were supposed to demonstrate. But I guess that just shows my ignorance regarding art! The work I liked best was a shelf with several tubes upon it. The glasses were filled with a yellow automotive fluid and automotive parts. It looked awesome!

On Saturday, I exercised the art of successful shopping followed by watching the movie “Burn after Reading” - a high quality movie directed by the Coen Brothers. Truth to be told, I only wanted to watch it because of George Clooney and Brad Pitt!

My weekend ended with seeing the Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra (BBSO) live in concert! Up until then I wasn’t a big fan of classical music, but this all changed on Sunday evening. The sound was terrific and the location (a synagogue in Bloomfield Hills) just beautiful! Go and check them out http://www.bbso.org/!

Miriam

Chicago

2009-05-04T13:48:00.008-04:00

What can I say… The most impressive city I have ever seen.

Friday morning I headed with some friends off to Chicago. Ok when we started it was already 9am. We reached Chicago about 2pm. The skyline was just impressive.
It was not easy to make our way through the enormous traffic, but finally we entered the Palmer Hilton House. The girls checked out the hotel and felt like very rich people (thank you hotwire for providing such great charges) and the boys searched for a parking lot. It’s incredible but at the end we paid nothing for parking. Maybe I should mention that the car stayed in a very nasty neighborhood, but the police officer said it would be safe. Of course we trusted him.
That afternoon, we walked to the River front and Navy Pier. It was just beautiful.
Afterwards, we had lunch in an Italian Restaurant. Unfortunately, we didn’t eat the famous Chicago pizza. Maybe next time.
At night we had a small hotel room party. We headed off to explore Chicago’s nightlife around 1am. After searching the right subway station, for more then an hour, we decided to go home.

On Saturday morning we tested the swimming pool.
Afterwards we went fresh and alert to the best breakfast I have ever had. Wishbone: You should try it! We couldn’t decide what to get so we ordered lots of food: fruit pancakes, salmon with grits, French toast, patty sausages, steak with eggs…
Later we did a bus tour through Chicago. Our tour guide was a 50 year old woman who likes dancing, singing and laughing. You can imagine that was entertainment. While we were driving next to the Lake Michigan the weather changed from one second to another. Earlier it was sunny and warm, but suddenly it felt like driving into a fridge. After a few minutes, we decided to go downstairs to sit inside the bus.

At night we took a cab to Chicago’s nightlife to make sure that we made our way to the club Excalibur. After drinking, dancing and some weird conversations with Spanish doctors, who by the way didn’t speak one word of English, we returned to the hotel at about 4am.
It wasn’t until noon the next day that we headed off to Millennium Park. The weather was beautiful again so we just walked around.
On our way back to Detroit, we stopped somewhere in Indiana at the Lake Michigan to see the beach and some dunes. Unfortunately the water was too cold to go swimming.

I hope I will get the chance to return…

Annika

Toronto, here we come!

2009-04-24T15:30:00.006-04:00

Last Thursday, Annika and I headed off to Toronto with four other Germans for the Easter weekend. The journey started at our house in Royal Oak, where we loaded two cars with our luggage. Since two of us in one car and one in the other were girls, you can imagine we had plenty of luggage!

After around an hour on the road we arrived at the border. When we approached the check point, I was driving the car, so I opened my window to speak to the officer. He started asking me a question, but unfortunately I didn’t hear at all what he was saying. After the second time I still didn’t get what he was asking, it suddenly occurred to us that we could turn off the radio and see if that helps! No wonder, it did help! And his question was simply: “What citizenship do you have?” After we told him, the officer continued speaking very slowly. He must have thought we don’t speak English at all!

At 10.30pm that night we entered downtown Toronto. The skyline was just amazing! After making our way through nightlife traffic we arrived at our hotel, the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Only 70 Canadian Dollars per night, swimming pool and gym included! We put our luggage in our hotel rooms (or should I say suites?) and then headed off to explore Toronto’s bars and clubs. Unfortunately the opening hours were about the same as the ones in Detroit, so at around 3a.m. we returned to the hotel.

It wasn’t until noon the next day that we started our sightseeing tour of Toronto. The first stop was the CN tower. Before I continue, I should mention that I am afraid of heights…really afraid! Nevertheless, I made my way up and I am glad I did. The view up there was just awesome!

Our hungry stomachs made us go to Chinatown next. First, we went to Chinese supermarkets to get an idea of what will be on our plates soon! Then we had delicious lunch at a Vietnamese place (okay, not Chinese but it was in Chinatown!). Afterwards, we made our way to Yonge Street, where we spent most of our time in the Eaton Shopping Centre. Back at the hotel we made use of the swimming pool and fitness centre before heading into Toronto’s nightlife again.

On Saturday we explored Toronto’s Harbor front, the university area and Yorkville. Once again our day didn’t start before noon! Our sightseeing tour ended at Eaton Shopping Centre, just like the day before. Since we wanted to visit Niagara Falls the next day, we decided to go out only for drinks and no dancing this time.

On Easter Sunday we said goodbye to Toronto and drove to Niagara Falls. The weather was just wonderful and the falls so impressive! After taking about a million pictures of the falls we headed back to Detroit.

This time we didn’t have any trouble understanding the border officer although he asked us quite a few questions. I guess our English must have improved during our stay in Canada!

Miriam

Time to go…

2009-04-17T11:20:00.009-04:00

April? It’s already April? I can’t believe that today is the last day of my internship at AutoCom! The last six months flew by so quickly and now my desk is cleared and I passed my assignments on to Annika.

I want to thank you all so much for having me here. I’ve had a great time and learned many things about public relations. I really appreciate the opportunity of working in an American business and being able to be involved in a lot of different projects and to bear responsibility.

It’s really hard for me to give up the life I started in Detroit. I met a lot of wonderful people and made good friends. Also, I experienced a lot during my trips and outings. Luckily, my stay is not over yet. On Monday I’m going to fly to California for ten days. Afterwards I’ll relax for 14 days in Yucatan, Mexico. Can you imagine how excited I am? ;-) After that I’ll come back to Detroit for two more days to fly home to Germany.

But I’m planning on coming back to the U.S. to visit in summer 2010 or 2011. Then I’ll definitely stop by and say hi to you! And, of course, I hope to see some of you back in Germany some day, too.

Good bye everyone! I’m gonna miss you!

Doreen

Where the heck is Investment Drive?!

2009-04-08T15:42:00.007-04:00

March 25, 2009, 7.15am: I just left my house in Royal Oak and make my way now to I-696. It is raining cats and dogs. I had to get up at 6.30am. Can’t remember the last time I got up that early! I am supposed to be in Farmington Hills at 8.30am and meet up with Andi and Marty at Daimler Financial Services. PRSA is having a breakfast meeting there. I am so excited! My first business meeting! Google Map says it will take about 21 min to get there. I don’t want to be late, so I leave way in advance, just to make sure that I am there on time!

March 25, 2009, 7.20am: I am now on I-696, I can hardly see anything. It is dark and raining. My average speed is 55/mph. Why is everybody passing me?!

March 25, 2009, 7.30am: I am still on I-696. Where is my cell phone?! In my purse maybe?! I didn’t leave it at home, did I?! … Yes, I did. Okay, no need to worry…I have got directions from Google Map…I will get there!

March 25, 2009, 7.40am: Here it is, Exit 5, Orchard Lake Road! I am in Farmington Hills! Wow, that was easy! Okay, what next? I am way too early and according to Google Maps it will take only 10 minutes to get to Investment Drive. Well, I guess, to be on the safe side, I better first check where Investment Drive is and then head off for coffee.

March 25, 2009, 8.00am: I have been driving on W 12 Mile Rd up and down for the last twenty minutes now…. and I can’t find Investment Drive! Slowly, I get nervous…

March 25, 2009, 8.10am: Still haven’t found it. Help!!! Since I forgot my cell phone, I can’t call Marty or Andi. Well, I just ask some people on the street where to go.

March 25, 2009, 8.20am: I found a person to ask, unfortunately she didn’t know where to find Investment Drive either! Okay, let’s go back on W 12 Mile Rd and do it all over again…

March 25, 2009, 8.30am: Alright, the meeting is starting now…at this very second…and without me! A nightmare of every intern…

March 25, 2009, 8.35am: Alright, I give up. I just can’t find stupid Investment Drive! Let’s go back to the office. No, I won’t start crying now…

March 25, 2009, 8.37am: I knew it exists – an angel who guards blond German girls to their destinations! I just turned right into Investment Drive. Don’t ask how I got there. All I know is that I am the happiest person on earth on March 25, 2009, at 8.37am!

My first trip to Detroit!

2009-04-07T09:10:00.003-04:00

Hi everybody,

I am the new intern at AutoCom Associates and I just would like to introduce myself on the AutoCom Intern Blog.
My name is Annika and I am 23 years old. I study business administration with a major in marketing, psychology and human resources at Justus Liebig University in Giessen. Originally I come from Paderborn. Last summer I did an internship at one of AutoComs customers: Hella KG Hueck & Co.

In August Larry invited me to an interview in Frankfurt and two weeks later I was offered an internship. I am sure you can imagine how glad I was when I read this e-mail. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity!

This is my first visit to the United States. Before I arrived in Detroit I saw movies like 8 Mile etc. and I expected to see lots of dangerous people. But of course I don’t!
Instead I met very nice and helpful persons. This is one thing I really like in the US. People keep in touch and care about each other.

I spent my first day applying for my social security card, opening my bank account and buying a cell phone. Miriam helped me with that (Thank you so much for all your efforts!!!). At the weekend I met a few interns from Germany and my housemates showed me Downtown Detroit. There I could see the wonderful skyline from Detroit and Canada.

Today is my first day at AutoCom and I am looking forward to learn a lot about public relations.
Thank you for your warm welcome!
I am excited to work with you for the next six month.

Annika

A LA-Girl in Detroit!

2009-03-10T10:34:00.010-04:00

Hi everyone,

Over the years it has become tradition that every new intern at AutoCom introduces herself/himself on the AutoCom Intern Blog. Now it is my turn!

My name is Miriam and I am 23 years old. Just before I arrived in Detroit, I lived in Brussels for three months, where I interned at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU. When I am not doing internships, I am studying International Cultural and Business Studies at the University of Passau. Originally, I am from LA… Landshut (Bavaria) and not Los Angeles (California)!

This isn’t my first visit to Michigan. Seven years ago, I spent three weeks in Lansing visiting friends. Back then, I would have never imagined that someday I would have the opportunity to do an internship at a public relations agency in the Detroit area. Now I am here in Bloomfield Hills, and it is just perfect!

I spent my first couple of days in the United States applying for my social security card, opening my bank account, buying a cell phone and adapting to the freezing temperatures!

Last Monday, I had my first day in the office. Everyone was so nice to me! Thanks for your warm welcome! Anja showed me all the work I am going to be in charge of, and now I am feeling ready to start working as an account assistant at AutoCom Associates!

I am looking forward to working with you for the next six months and I am excited about what I will learn from you about public relations!

Miriam

Roadtrip through Florida

2009-02-17T15:59:00.015-05:00

Last week I escaped from cold Michigan to make a little tour through Florida with a friend of mine. After landing in Miami, we picked up our rental car: a Chrysler Sebring Convertible 2008 in metallic blue! We immediately fell in love with that beautiful cabrio and drove directly to our hotel in Miami Beach.

There we explored the beach and the night life, although it was not as warm as expected. (But in comparison to the -20 degrees Celsius in Detroit (the same morning) the +10 degrees were really pleasant for us ;-).)

The next day we briefly visited the Everglades, where we made an air boat tour and watched alligators swimming in the water. Afterwards we took the US1 – the Overseas Highway, surrounded by water, which connects the mainland to the Florida Keys and headed to the first island, Key Largo.

In the visitor center we met the owner Bob, who is a native of Ferndale (suburb of Detroit). He was so happy to see people from his home, that he arranged great hotel deals for us for the remaining nights. On that day we slept at a beach resort on Isla Morada. Our room was equipped with a balcony and ocean view and the resort had a little dock, shops, bars and restaurants.

The following morning we left for our final destination: Key West. On our way to this most southern key, the sun finally came out and the temperatures rose. We checked in into our adorable bed and breakfast and finished the day in a nice Mexican restaurant and some local bars.

Sunday was relaxed. We laid in the sun at the pool and rented bikes later on. It was just great to drive through all the cute little streets, passing several beaches and eating ice cream in the sun. :)

On our last day on our way back to Miami, we took a bit of time to leave the US1 every now and then to watch some islands and to stop at beaches. This time the ocean was even bluer and it was wonderful to drive in the convertible.

Later that night we landed relaxed but tired back in Detroit.

NEW Video! Watch our AutoCom News

2009-02-11T10:10:00.006-05:00

EVIEW 360 NEEDS YOUR VOTES!

2009-02-04T15:57:00.001-05:00

Eview 360, one of our clients, is featured on “This Ain’t No Disco,” a website showcasing the most creative office spaces in the world. Visitors to the site can vote for their favorite office interiors, and the results are broken into two categories: Best-Looking and Most Popular. Eview 360 is currently leading in the “Best-Looking” category, but does not even register under “Most Popular.”

EVIEW 360 NEEDS YOUR VOTES!

Please go to http://www.aintnodisco.com/2009/01/29/eview-360/ and vote by clicking on the star rating underneath their photos. Let’s get them 5 out of 5 stars!

Ning

2009-01-23T13:32:00.004-05:00

Hey former inters,

Have you heard about Ning? It is a social network platform where anyone can create their own network. We created one for all AutoCom interns.
It will be much easier to stay in contact, exchange pictures and share what you are doing now. I hope everybody will join us. Eight former interns have signed up already…have you??

http://autocominterns.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp?

Hope to see you there.

Road Trip

2009-01-23T13:05:00.013-05:00

Hi everybody,

Around Christmas I had an awesome road trip. We started in Detroit of course and headed to Chicago. In wintertime Chicago is very cold and nothing looks as it used to look in summer. Building turn grey, the streets look dirty, even the skyscrapers appear as regular height buildings under the fog. Millennium Park was as pretty as it always was. We spend three nights at the “Days Inn Chicago” and loved the place, especially our room and the very good breakfast which was included. We also went to the first deep dish pizza restaurant named “Uno,” it was delicious.

Our next destination was Detroit Lakes in Minnesota. I spent a year as an exchange student at this beautiful place in 2002/2003 and really enjoyed my stay. We spend the nights at my host parents’ house and got to see some of my former good friends. One day we went snowmobiling and we had a blast.

The next part of our journey brought us to Duluth and through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We enjoyed the scenery a lot. All in all, the entire trip took us ten days and we had lots of fun. For New Years Eve, I met my friends back in Detroit and we had a wonderful time going out for dinner and partying at a place close to Northville.

My time at AutoCom is almost over and I still hope to travel to New York and Niagara Falls. I hope all of you had a good start this year and you will enjoy 2009.

Anja

A "hello" from Linda...

2008-12-12T09:45:00.029-05:00

Hohoho folks,

here comes a christmasy “hello” from the German Santa Clause!
Unbelievable, it´s nearly two years now that I left AutoCom and my “homecastle” on campus of Oakland University and as I could find out in the meantime from the blog there have been a lot of new faces coming to AutoCom during the past 24 months. It´s funny to read about the experiences of my followers which are almost the same I made when I was a “US-girl” for a transitional time… ;)

What did I do when I returned back home – except missing you guys, the American traditions like Thanksgiving, shopping on Sunday, yummy donuts from Tim Hortons ;0)) etc…??
First I had to finish my studies and had to pass my final exams… puhh, that wasn´t easy because I had a lot of time pressure… But fortunately my examiners were nice and all went well…
After my diploma I started with a traineeship in the pr-department of Jacobs University - an international university in the free Hanseatic city of Bremen. Excellent fish, a cool breeze and a reserved mentality of the townsfolk – these were my first impressions when I came here. But it didn´t take long to settle in and after a short time I really enjoyed living here in the North of Germany: Every evening the four musicians of Bremen (do you know the story of them??) serenade me and I can eat the best seafood you can get in Germany (ok, this statement will not amuse the inhabitants of the Hanseatic town ;)

After finishing my traineeship the professor of my university in Munster asked me if I am interested in doing my doctorate… Well, this was an interesting offer and after some meetings with coffee and cake we came to an agreement concerning the content and procedure of my dissertation…

It was an interesting but also exhausting time because I also continued working part-time as a Junior PR Manager at Jacobs University in parallel to my PhD…

But everything comes to and end and yeah…. finally it´s done! :)

Of course, that had to be celebrated …
with 1 or 2 or 3 or mmmhhh, maybe 4…hot wine punches on the Christmas market… Cheers!
Uuuupps…. Maybe this was a little bit too much :)

But now enough from my “adventures” - how are you doing? Also enjoying the sweet sins of this season? Being stressed from shopping the “perfect” gifts or already preparing for reciting the poem on Christmas Eve, hihi? Baking lots and lots of tasty cookies?
However you are spending the pre-Christmas days - I wish you a wonderful Advent season with your loved ones and a Merry

Christmas with lots of nice …

Take care!

News from our former intern Mareike...

2008-12-09T13:52:00.022-05:00

Hey AutoCom guys and ladies,

Now it’s over a year ago that I left Detroit to finish my studies. I cannot believe that time is going by so fast. I will give you just a little report, what happened in my life in the meantime.

I finally turned in my thesis, which took a load off my mind. I mean… as u know…directly afterwards I got on a plane to see you guys. It was really great being able to see you again. Especially your faces were just amusing: “I know that girl… but with long hair”.

After leaving Detroit I visited Boston and New York. I don’t know why, but I don’t care too much about New York. But Boston was just great. I fell in love with that city right away. It looks really European and is so much cleaner than New York :-). But nobody told me that arriving at the Boston Airport is such an adventure. You really think you will crash into the water.

And I can tell you one thing: Your economy must have improved a lot after I went back to Germany. I shopped like there is no tomorrow :-). But it was actually only half the fun without my little Senior Intern Nicky! :-(

Back In Germany I started my first “real real job” :-) If you know what I mean. Not being a student assistant anymore, instead working full time. I work for a media planning agency at the so called Düsseldorf Media Harbor.

And I know one thing for sure… Andi would love it here, because we have a vending machine and coke, sprite and fanta for free…. as much as we want…every day :-) But I am pretty proud, in 7 weeks I only made use of that vending machines three times.
BTW, speaking of the devil (--> Andi): I really think Andi is haunting me… In my last job I shared an office with a coworker called Andre and now I am in an office with Andrea…: Andi everywhere… :-)

I hope you are all doing fine and that you will have a wonderful Christmas time. I will say goodbye now with two last pics: One of the traditional Christmas market (which you find all over Germany during this time, but this picture is from the one in Bonn, where I went to school). The other pic is of the famous “senior angel”! @ all current interns: Whatever Andi is saying about me and that she needed to wash my tongue with soap… it’s NOT true… this is my real identity :-)

Fröhliche Weihnachten, eure Mareike

Hella-ween

2008-11-06T11:11:00.008-05:00

Hi guys!

As we all know, Halloween is one of the most important holidays in America…for some (Dee) it’s even the most important one;) You could feel the excitement among people when Halloween came closer. Not only would your shopping experiences at Meyers and others turn out to be creepy…wandering around through shelves decorated with spiders and little witches, even if you drive down the streets of your neighborhood, you felt like visiting a Halloween museum.
Since the Hella guys from Germany, Winfried and Steffen, have been in town during this sinister times, we were planning on discovering the real American Halloween spirit together. And so we did. We drove to a town called Romeo, North of Washington, where Steffen had read an article about a certain street where neighbors compete against each other with decorating their front yards. Actually, those owners did not only decorate their front yards but also their entire houses. They almost re-built them into castles and pirate ships. We were stunned!…Halloween decoration started in Germany the last couple of years, but what we have seen in this street was far from anything we could have imagined. To recover from creepy streets we went to a bar called Coyote Joey’s. We came hungry and were disappointed when told there was no food served…anyway; we had a pizza delivered into the bar. Everybody envied us because of a delicious hot out of the oven pizza. Of course we did not share!!
On Halloween itself we had a small office party, where again “Halloween Nerds” Steffen and Winfried were our special guests. We did not have a costume contest, but if we had one, both of them would have won. Food wise – surprise, surprise: We had pizza!!

Check out the online photo album we created:
www.autocom.myphotoalbum.com

Go Blue!

2008-11-03T10:17:00.023-05:00

Last weekend some friends invited me to the Michigan/Michigan State football game at the Big House in Ann Arbor. It is supposed to be the “game of the games” and I was really excited to go there.
I left my home at 7:30 am and met my friends in Northville. At 9:00 am we started tailgating at the golf course in front of the Ann Arbor stadium. Tailgate parties have become popular in the United States as social gatherings events that take place in stadium parking lots before football games. One of my friends fit me with Michigan shirts.

We had a great time, met lots of fun people, had good food and of course good drinks. Six hours later the game started. Since it was a very cold day, I couldn’t wait to stand close to some people. It was so crowded, almost every seat was taken.
I was surprised how Michigan and Michigan State fans were seated together. In a German soccer game this would be impossible because of big fights between the fans. However in Ann Arbor the atmosphere was great and we cheered the entire time for U of M. Our team lost unfortunately. Anyway I can’t wait for my next football game.

I bought my own Michigan shirts a couple days after the game. Now I feel prepared for our next cheering in hopefully two weeks.

New blood from Germany

2008-10-24T16:17:00.012-04:00

Hey everybody!

I’m the new intern at AutoCom Associates, and for the next six months I’m going to be part of your lovely family. So, who am I? My name is Doreen and I’m 24 years old. I study business administration with a major in marketing and tourism at the University in Rostock, Germany.
Last November Larry invited me to an interview in Frankfurt, and two weeks after our meeting I was offered an internship. I’m sure you can imagine how glad I was when I heard this! I’m really grateful for having this opportunity, and I started to make plans for my stay in the US right away, because living here has always been a dream for me.

Since then, October 9, 2008 has been the start date of a whole new phase in my life. After settling all matters, it took me more than 20 hours to land in Detroit, because I flew via London and Chicago. Tony picked me up at the airport and we drove to Royal Oak, where I moved into my new home and met my roommates.

The first couple of days have been amazing. The warm weather was perfect for my first activities in Michigan. For example, I went to the Detroit Zoo to watch the cute seals in the water tube. I also visited Belle Isle, where I could see the wonderful skyline of Detroit and Canada, and I met some of my new coworkers (Christina, Anja and Sara) at a sushi bar in Royal Oak. After that we went to a club, where I heard one of my favorite songs, which now has a special meaning to me: “Put your hands up for Detroit” ;-)

Overall, my start was close to perfect and I can’t wait to see what else is waiting for me.

Thank you all for your nice, warm welcome at work, too. I’m looking forward to the next six months and hope I can learn a lot about press relations and the American culture.

Doreen

DIC's Summer Camp 2008

2008-08-06T15:56:00.008-04:00

On July 24, Silke and I volunteered at the Detroit Institute for Children’s (DIC) Summer Camp 2008, which they held at their facility in Detroit from July 21 – 24. DIC is a provider of specialized diagnostic, medical and rehabilitative care to children with disabilities.

The theme of this year’s camp was “Four Seasons” and the four days were divided into fall, winter, spring and summer.

Silke and I volunteered on the last day, which was about summer and water activities. The DIC divided its facility into three areas representing the continents Australia, Europe and the United States. In Australia the children made boomerangs and afterwards they took an “airplane ride” to see the great sights of Europe. They ended their trip back home in the US – where they enjoyed water slide, blowing bubbles and a special visit from Disney Radio for karaoke fun.

Forty disabled children and their siblings attended on that day. Volunteers gave their time and became “Camper Buddies.” Each volunteer took care of a certain child or helped the DIC staff at the different stations.

Altogether, the summer camp was not only entertaining and fun, it also reinforced the skills that DIC’s children work on during their therapy sessions. Not only the children enjoyed DIC’s Summer Camp, but also the volunteers, the parents and all other helpers had a lot fun on that sunny day. The DIC staff, which had organized this amazing Summer Camp and all staff members gave their best put on this unforgettable Summer Camp.

Tony

Megan's senior project at AutoCom

2008-05-28T14:05:00.004-04:00

Hey AutoComers,

You may be wondering who I am, why I’m at AutoCom, and why I’ll disappear before I get to really know any of you. I’m a senior at Country Day and my school has a program they call Senior Project. The basic idea is to get the seniors officially out of the school so they no longer have to deal with our senioritis. Thus, we spend the month of May and early June engaged in a project of our choice. The seniors can pick any field, in any place they want. People do projects as diverse as writing books, creating artwork, serving as a teacher’s assistant, shadowing doctors, and working for magazines. The only requirements are that we work thirty hours a week and turn in a brief paper at the end so that we can graduate.

So why am I at AutoCom? It may seem like a strange place for a girl whose main interest is in history and politics and who dreams of working overseas for a non-profit organization, but it really isn’t. The skills AutoCom uses in public relations apply not only to businesses, but also to non-profits who need to spread their message in order to effectively recruit volunteers and donors and fulfill their mission.

In my time here so far, I have had a chance to both observe and participate in what AutoCom does. I’ve seen press releases being drafted, meetings occur and I’ve had a chance to participate in conferences about what public relations is and what PR firms seek to do as well as learn how to distribute mailings. I’ve observed the importance of cultivating relationships with media contacts and seen how to choose relevant publications to send releases to.

So, although I still plan on studying international politics, I’ve seen how important good public relations is to any organization. Being able to do my senior project at AutoCom has been great for me, especially because the AutoCom family is so welcoming and kind. I’m only here for another week so I’d like to take this chance to thank everyone at AutoCom for making my Senior Project great.

Megan Cook

Sara Furtwaengler

2008-05-27T09:28:00.003-04:00

Hello to the AutoCom Team

I loved reading all your postings on interns@autocom. For someone who does not know you yet it seems like you are all one big family. I like that.
Why am I writing on this blog? I want to become an intern at AutoCom. I just arrived in Michigan two months ago. My hometown in Germany is Heilbronn next to Stuttgart, but the last six years I studied in Konstanz, which is really in the south of Germany, directly at the border to Switzerland (at the swabian sea). I am 27 and my stay in Michigan will be my second US stay. I studied one year in Oregon, which made me love the US and convinced me to come back. Why Michigan? Because Markus, my husband, works in the automotive business…and well, you know that Metro Detroit is an automotive paradise…so to speak.

Some of the things former interns wrote seem already familiar to me. I know about the beautiful downtown area in Royal Oak, where it is a lot of fun to go out at night and where –very surprisingly- you meet a lot of Germans. I also know that you find thousands of really good restaurants in Metro Detroit. Markus and me went up north for a short vacation and fell in love with the beautiful landscape. I of course have not experienced winter in Michigan yet (what everybody told us is a good thing, since this winter must have been a tough one), and I am looking forward to a hopefully nice summer that I expect to be long long long….much longer than a German summer…which is not hard to compete.

We found a really nice place to live in Royal Oak and we met so many nice people. The last month we spent a lot of time at IKEA, but now we are fully equipped and ready to get started. Everything seems perfect. I love my new home and am eager to discover Michigan and Metro Detroit in more detail. What I am still missing is a nice work place with nice people and a fulfilling work to do. I hope I will find that within your firm and hope to meet some of you very soon…can’t wait…

Sara

Our Vice President, Marty Habalewsky, got married!

2008-05-15T09:09:00.025-04:00

May 10: It was a sunny day during a week full of rain. Christina and I met with Jack in Bloomfield Hills. He was so kind to give us a ride so we could enjoy the landscape. On our way to Port Huron, we picked up Jan who became the car DJ. Jack has satellite radio and so we could choose between the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, Bluegrass, Country, Jazz, Hip Hop, R’n’B, Rock, Blues, etc. I like the 60s and 70s, Jan the 90s, Jack Bluegrass and Christina Rock. As you can imagine DJ Jan had a tough ride…

As we were in Port Huron one hour to early, we decided to have a little “wedding appetizer” at Wendy’s. After some fries, sandwiches and milk shakes we drove to the church where we met Larry Weis and Kathi McCarroll, Don Habarek and Nancy Arnold, Joe and Mary Cabadas, Jim Meloche and the other AutoCom girls.

The celebration was in the St. Joseph Catholic Church. It’s a beautiful old church and Marty and Ruth had it decorated lovely. Marty’s youngest son Justin opened the service with the song “Come and Journey With Me.”

Mr. and Mrs. Habalewsky

After the ceremony, we went to the St. Joseph Gymnasium for the reception. A folk band and hors d’oeuvres were waiting for us. We got to know Marty’s family and had a great time at the “AutoCom table.”

Jack drove us to Lake Huron after the reception. It was such a beautiful day that reminded me of good days at the North Sea.

We finally drove home. And what was on the radio? Love songs…

Silke

2008 SAE World Congress was a success!

2008-05-13T14:48:00.006-04:00

In its 7th year, the SAE Media Dinner at Coach Insignia was a huge success thanks to the participation by all of our clients and the significant media attendance. Coach Insignia was the perfect setting for an evening that included fantastic cuisine, an unparalleled view of Detroit and unique networking opportunities for all. The attendee list included senior executives from Behr, Coherix, Eberspaecher, GKN Driveline, Hella, InterRegs, MANN+HUMMEL, Trubiquity and Wallonia as well as 45 of the industry’s top automotive editors and reporters.

Other activities included an InterRegs press conference, the annual MANN+HUMMEL media briefing along with Hella’s press luncheon. All three events were successful and generated positive exposure for the companies involoved.

Hella Luncheon

Mann+Hummel luncheon

A big thank you goes out to all who participated and we look forward to next years SAE World Congress!

First Pet Idol

2008-04-22T10:58:00.005-04:00

We’re going to the dogs … and cats, birds, rabbits -- we’re looking for photos and
digital images of your cutest household pets!

For our first annual PET IDOL Contest, send us a photo or a high-resolution jpeg image (300 d.p.i.) so that we can post your pet’s photo online. Please submit photos to Silke Schwarte at sschwarte@usautocom.com.

This contest will be in conjunction with our Traverse City week festivities and events. For more information, contact Maggie Beauregard at 248.647.8621 or by e-mail at mbeauregard@usautocom.com.

We're over the hump... Part Two

2008-02-26T09:59:00.013-05:00

Christina’s Highlight in February?

The NADA conference in San Francisco!!

Wow! How fast the time goes by.
So many things are going on. I thought I should tell you about my latest journey.

At the beginning of February I got the chance to go to San Francisco to NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) Convention and Expo 2008 with Larry and Marty. It’s one of the biggest shows in North America.
We had to represent two new clients – vAuto and Compared Insurance.

It was awesome! Not only to get the chance to go to San Francisco, which is such a lovely, busy and sunny city, but also to experience the convention at first hand.

I was working for vAuto and one of my tasks was to take care for the Press Kits.
I had to assemble them, put them into the press room at the convention center, to take part at an interview between the client and a publication and at vAuto’s sales meeting with their people before the show on Friday. We had to be present at vAuto’s booth to welcome journalists and to be able to hand them a press kit. We also had several media dinners with clients and journalists.

There was not much time left, but I was blessed that I could stay at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown. From the restaurant at the 36th floor I could see the Golden Gate and the Bay Area. You got a wonderful overlook of the city and it was easy to explore the city and to get to the convention center. The only “tour” I made was on Sunday night when I went to Fisherman’s Wharf.

Most of my stay I enjoyed the gorgeous weather, which was so different to Detroit at that time. It was sunny all the time and we had up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit!
When I came back home to Detroit we had a snowstorm and we got 10 inches fresh snow the next day.

San Francisco and NADA was a great experience!

Christina

We're over the hump... Part One

2008-02-25T16:35:00.033-05:00

News from AutoCom’s current interns:

Christina started her internship at AutoCom in July 2007, my first day was October 1, 2007 and now it’s the end of February 2008. I guess former interns can confirm that time is running so fast in Michigan. We celebrated Halloween in our office and went to a Halloween party, ate turkey on Thanksgiving and opened Xmas presents on the 25th of December. New Years Eve is over and so are the resolutions for 2008. We were in love on Valentines Day and now we are waiting for Easter…
It’s time for some highlights of the last two months.

Silke’s highlight in December?

The visit of my family! I rented a van for seven people visiting me.

First we spent some time in Michigan. We visited the Henry Ford museum, where we stayed almost the whole day. We were very impressed by all the old cars, carriages and trains. On the same day we viewed Edsel and Eleanor Ford’s house and found out that they had a souvenir from Germany in their library.

On December 26, we drove towards Washington D.C. Our first stop was Cleveland where we visited the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame.

On the next day we toured Washington. My sister provided us with some information about the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Next stop was Lancaster: We saw farmland and Amish people. Lancaster differs from the cities we visited before but it was very interesting.

We drove from Lancaster to Philadelphia. Highlights here were the Liberty Bell and the Betsy Ross house, where the first American flag was sewed with 13 stars in a circle.

Next stop was the city that doesn’t sleep: NEW YORK.

We spent an amazing four days in New York. The first day was New Years Eve. We had a great view over NY on top of the General Electric building at the Rockefeller Center. From there we saw the city by daylight, during the sunset and in the dark. We went to Time Square which was so crowded because of the New Years party. The streets were full of people. I’ve never seen so many people on the streets.

On the next day we took a walk in the Central Park, went to Ground Zero, and drove with a ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.

The other day was soooo cold that we could not stand to be outside. We decided to visit Madame Tussauds wax figure cabinet. We met Albert Einstein, George Bush, Usher, Brad Pitt and much more.

Before we drove to Toronto, we visited Niagara Falls to see the famous water falls and it was unbelievable. It looked so pretty during the winter with all the snow in the background. We took a walk along the falls and had a great afternoon in Niagara Falls. We went back to Michigan on January 6.

Silke

News from Nicky

2007-12-29T15:37:00.000-05:00

Hi AutoComers,

Thank you very much for the nice Christmas card you sent me. I was so happy when I got it and I thought back to my wonderful time in Michigan. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas time with good food (unfortunately too much food for me in the last days) and leisure time with your family. I don’t know why, but the time before Christmas is always stressful for me. Lot’s of stuff to do for university, I have to get presents for friends and family and everybody is celebrating the coming Christmas days with parties or at the Christmas market in Stuttgart.

But at least when it’s December 24th everything is ok and it’s time to relax and to write something for the AutoCom blog ;-) I know I’m a little bit late….

When I moved back to Germany I started the 5th semester at the university and also a new part-time job at a marketing agency in Stuttgart called “Seyther Kommunikation” (http://www.seyther-kommunikation.de/ the web site is unfortunately only in German). It is totally different from the work at AutoCom, because it’s not a public relations agency. Except the things I learned form Maagie when I helped her to organize all the events for AutoCom (that was so much fun, thanks Maagie!). Our latest big projects were an exhibition stand for Siemens at the Opening of the New Stuttgart Trade Fair Center and the employee event “Bavarian Evening” for the “Deutsche Post” (the German postal service).

On one hand I’m glad to be back in Germany with my family and friends. But on the other hand I miss lots of things in the States. There is Momma Dee, who had always an open ear for me; working together with Maagie and especially our trip to Traverse City in August; Jan, who was never angry when I came with some new ideas; Marty, who taught me a lot about PR, Jack and our interesting media lunches (I know I had lots of questions), Larry, who taught me a lot about PR-business (and it was always exciting to come to your office) and the girls and Paul, who took me out and showed me life in Detroit.

I hope everybody is fine and I wish all of you a Happy New Year 2008!

All the best,

Nicky.

News from Susanne

2007-12-21T09:51:00.000-05:00

Hey AutoComers,

First of all I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful time with your family and friends!

How have you all been?

I moved back to Cambridge this fall to continue my last year of studies. I was really really happy to be a student again after working for a year, especially after my pretty stressful internship at BMW…. And now I want to work again J never right the way it is…

Life in Cambridge is fun. I live with 4 roommates and we share a flat very close to the city center and University. So this year we can actually walk places and didn’t have to buy bikes again… (yea mine was unfortunately gone after a year and a half left in the city center all by itself chained to a post)
There has not much been going on lately, I have only been writing assignments for the last 8 weeks, my final year is very busy.

Between my second internship and University, I got a job at Continental as a working student for a month in the sales department for Motorcycle ABS. It was good experience and I know now what I necessarily do not want to work in if possible… :)

I will start my dissertation in January to graduate in summer. I’m so excited.
But first, I will fly home on Saturday for Christmas.

Here are some pictures for you:

Two of my roommates and friends Annett and Kathrin (left to right)

For Halloween the roommates went as the witches clan :D

My Kathrin and me :)

My street… English reality…

And finally the famous Cambridge Colleges... Cambridge City Center

As nice as this all sounds… I really miss my time at AutoCom and I will try to come back to the States when I’m finished with my studies next summer!

Hope you are all well!

Merry Christmas!

Susanne

A German stuck between Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, stockings and X-Mas cookies…

2007-12-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

Hohoho! Santa Claus is coming tonight!

After three weeks of Christmas music, Christmas lights and Christmas candy it’s time to write about this amazing time and about some differences between American X-Mas and German “Weihnachten”.

In Germany, the Christmas time starts around December 1st with our advent calendar. It’s actually for kids to pass time of waiting until Christmas Eve. There is a Christmas picture with 24 little windows with each a number on it. Children open one window every day and find a piece of chocolate, a Christmas picture or a poem.

In addition to the Advent calendar, you can find an Advent wreath in most homes, which is made out of bound fir twigs and four candles on the top. We start by lighting one candle the first Sunday in December and continue throughout the month each Sunday. The last candle is lit on Christmas Eve or the last Sunday before Christmas Eve.

Typical German is the “Weihnachtsmarkt”, (Christmas market). The market place is full of booths and stalls where you can buy almost everything you need for Xmas: from candles and crib figures to Christmas tree decoration. In addition to listening to Christmas songs, people like to drink a glass of hot spiced wine (called Glühwein) to warm up from the cold.

What I miss here in the US is our “Nikolaus” who is coming during the night at December 5. Children in Germany leave a boot outside for St. Claus so that he can leave candies in their shoes. When I was a kid, St. Claus came to our house, read some stories in his red book about us children (of course, our mum told him some stories when she opened him the door). We sang a song for him or we recited a poem about St. Claus and than we got a bag full of candies, nuts, tangerines, a little chocolate Claus and a present like socks, books or toys.

Unlike American traditions, Germans put up their Christmas trees a few days before Christmas, (my family is always late; we put it up on the 23rd or even on the 24th). We decorate our tree with just one color: gold, so it’s not as colorful as an American Christmas tree. Presents are usually placed under the tree. By the way, have you known that the Christmas tree originated in Germany?!? While Americans get their candies in a stocking, every family member in Germany has its own Christmas plate with fruits, nuts, chocolate and biscuits.

While Americans celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, Christmas Eve is for Germans the preceding day. Christmas Eve starts with a big holiday dinner with the whole family. We eat a lot food so that you feel to full to pass out Christmas presents…(I remember that we had just French fries and chicken when we were kids so that we could go into the “Christmas room” quickly). Entering the living room with all the candles on, the smell of Christmas, Christmas presents and candy is amazing every year.

As I read about Christmas in the U.S. I found out that they take over carols from England and Australia, Santa Claus and stockings of the Netherlands and Santa’s sleigh drawn by reindeer began in Switzerland. But Americans gave Santa Claus an old man look with a white beard and red cheeks, dressed in a red suit departing in a sleigh drawn by reindeers.

As I know that Santa Claus brings presents during Christmas Eve, in Germany Christkind (it’s actually the Christ child as an angel in a white dress) brings presents in the afternoon of December 24. When we were kids my dad drove around the streets with us to “look for the Christkind” but the real reason for driving around was that my mum had time to bring the presents and candies in the living room and to light the candles.
So, this is X-Mas in Germany…

Look, how X-Mas is in the AutoCom office:

It all started when Andi brought her Xmas tree and a stocking… So Emily brought her Xmas tree and her stocking… As an effect of that, Maggie had the idea of a Xmas decoration contest. We started to decorate our office with bells, trees and garlands. It seems like Andi and Lauren are the winning team. They decorated our office plant with Xmas lights, decorated the wall with paper Xmas trees and reindeers and hang up Xmas bells.

But this is not enough… We are playing the Secret Santa in the office. Everybody drew a name for whom they’ll buy a gift for. Presents are then exchanged anonymously. Secret Santa gives a present, candy, chocolate or cards once a week or how often he wants to. Friday before Christmas we’ll get a Christmas present from our secret Santa. Woohoo!

In this spirit:
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein frohes neues Jahr (German)
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar (Dutch)
Quvianagli Anaiyyuniqpaliqsi suli Nakuuluni Ukiutqiutiqsi (Inupiaq Eskimo)
En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr (Pennsylvania German)

AutoCom Team

Silke

News from Mareike

2007-12-07T10:07:00.000-05:00

Hey AtuoCom Staff,

now it's more than a month ago that I left. I think I settled down again in Germany...! I just want to give you a little update. Really a lot happened in one month....!

First of all....of course all my friends and my family were so happy that I am back. I still don't know what to answer, when the others are asking how I liked my 6 month in the US. Most of the time I just say great, because it would take forever to tell everything. Even showing all my pictures is too much for my friends. I have more than 2000 pics :-)

One of my best friends. My other best friend is just in Rome and I can't wait to see her for Christmas!

As u perhaps know I am living in Düsseldorf now, which is really famous for marketing and model agencies. After applying for some jobs I got quickly the first job offer. A really nice agency with a lot of fun clients. U see some of them in the picture. I am now working in the Daimler Team; project management is my new work field. I am supporting Daimler's marketing strategies world wide, so I still have to speak English. I allready saw my new desk (@ Andi: now I have a male deskmate. I hope he can bake brownies). I have a nice new screen and a good computer.... not like my little grandma I had until Santa Dee gave me a new computer. And the best thing about the job...this is for the ladies at the office....in a way every day at my office is a "Happy Friday" :-)

As u perhaps know, I was also looking for a good subject for my thesis. Last week I got the offer from a TV Station in Germany to write my thesis for them about mobile marketing like TV and Internet on the cell phone. I am really happy about that. I will start next year.

At the moment I am living at a friends place. But I am looking for an apartment. It's time to live alone :-) At the moment I have to share the apartment with 3 men. Axel - my roommate - and his two cats: Charly and Mike. They are both sooooo cute and so much fun. I think I will really miss them a lot, when I'll move out.

Mike - my favorite cat

After a hard day... playing soccer with my rolls... so I had no breakfast ;-)

I hope you are doing good... I miss you a lot, especially my favorite American lady AnAn!

I can promise you, Santa will bring you some nice "stuff" (chocolate T.). But he will be a little bit late.

-Mareike/MarMar

Aloha!

2007-12-03T16:25:00.000-05:00

HI AUTOCOMERS!

Here are some pics of my trip to Honolulu, Hawaii (the paradise city!)…
...where the most beautiful beaches are!

I spent 10 days (9/17-9/26) in Hawaii with a friend of mine who lives in Honolulu. The flight took me more than 24 hours… You can assume that as soon as I was in Hawaii I fell asleep. But the next morning the beaches were waiting for us!

We went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and Waimea Beach. It was awesome. Hanauma Bay is gorgeous! Believe it or not. There is crystal-clear water, big palm trees and this is for all girls who want to travel to Hawaii: Guys in Hawaii are sooo cute.

At Waimea Beach we saw fish, very colorful as in the movie Finding Nemo! It was amazing to see all the different kinds. I’ve never seen so many colorful fish in nature! Unfortunately, we didn’t see sea-turtles.

On Sunday we went to a pineapple plantation. Did you know that pineapples grow on the ground? Neither did I! But they do and it looks very interesting!

On Monday we hiked on an old volcano called Diamond Head. It took us half an hour to get to the top. But the view was amazing!!! We could see Waikiki Beach and the island with all their skyscrapers.

That night we went to a Luau which is very famous in Hawaii. We were welcomed with a lei and a cocktail, you could learn how to dance hula and they offered a typical Hawaiian meal. We had pineapples, salad with algae and cucumber. The main dish was a plate full of delicious food: sweet potato, chicken, pig, roasted banana, rice, etc. and for dessert we had a cake with something else (I have no idea what it was called but it was pink and very, I mean, very very sweet). At this Luau Hawaiians performed the Hula dance which was very interesting. Not only their grass skirts were amazing but also the hula dance itself. I can tell you that’s Hawaii!

Silke

I won’t be an intern anymore. :)

2007-11-15T10:13:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody!

There is news again from my life. You know, I am a person who never stops doing something. Either I travel almost every weekend (like I did in the States) or I am looking for new challenges all the time. :-)

Well, my internship in Munich as a marketing consulting intern is not too bad, but I have finished University…so what I want is a real job and not an internship. (The only internship I would love to do, even after I graduated, is the one I already did with AutoCom). :) So I continued applying for jobs. I restricted the area to Bavaria for the first applications, because I love that part of Germany. I love the Bavarian dialect (it is so cute and sexy the same time). I love their “Brezn” and their white sausages. And here is the news: I will start on the 26th of November as an employee at Novartis. Novartis is a huge German pharmaceutical company. I will work there for the strategic sourcing marketing. So I will be the one choosing agencies, advertising materials and so on. I am so excited. It will be my first real job. Well, but for that I have to move to Nuremberg.

I love Munich and my apartment there, but what is it worth when you are not really happy with your job? Actually that’s the place where you spend most of you time. :) And Nuremberg is a really nice city, too. It is smaller but cute. There are a lot of old houses and churches and it is famous for the Christmas market (and you know, I love “Glühwein” *hahaha*).

So that’s the latest news. Cross your fingers that I will be successful taking that new challenge and that I will love going to work. :) Well, their won’t be anything better than coming to AutoCom in the mornings. Having Maggie smiling at me and Dee listening to all my problems and other stories and sharing my travel experience with the whole office. ;o)

Miss you…

Take care,

Bianca

Trick or Treat!

2007-11-01T11:35:00.000-04:00

Hi AutoCom-ers and former Interns!

Scary what happens in the office these days…
It was this special day in Detroit when AutoCom’s employees were not dressed as usual.

Most people call it Halloween. Germans would think it is a mix of Karneval and Saint Martin because people are dressed up as we do it for Karneval and children go door-to-door to ask for candies like on Saint Martin’s Eve. They do it in a very friendly way: TRICK OR TREAT!!!!

Let’s go back to what happened at AutoCom. You had to look twice to recognize the employees. There was a pregnant woman (btw: we are still looking for a name for the little boy. Ideas for a nice name can be sent to awilmes@usautocom.com).

But that wasn’t all; there was also a nerd, an angel of death, a Spartan fan, a little red riding hood and a German engineer.

Oh, and I almost forgot about the Michigan cowboy who actually changed his costume to become a Wolverine fan, and early contest that will conclude at 6 p.m. this Saturday. Even his dogs were dressed up…

Here you can see the winners of our internal election in the category “Best Halloween Costume 2008”. And the winner is…

… the pregnant lady…

Andrea Wilmes!!!! Applause!

We had so much fun in the office. We ate pizza for lunch together. We had a “Halloween Staff Meeting” and Maggie baked Halloween cupcakes which were delicious, thank you Maggie.

Hey former interns, how did you celebrate Halloween? We’d like to see some pictures. So, TRICK OR PICS!

I left on a jet plane

2007-10-11T14:22:00.000-04:00

I can not believe it, but I am back in Germany. I am living with a friend in Düsseldorf and finish my school next year. It's still really strange to be back in Germany. I have to learn again that my credit card doesn't work most of the times, I can not go shopping on sunday, I have no car (only trains and subways, which are never in time) and I lost my cute accent :-)

Anyway... I know you, or better yet "the ladies" are waiting for my final blog post! Enjoy my little review!

Things I will miss:

Turning right even when the traffic light is showing red
Free drink refill in every restaurant
Panera Brad - Broccoli Cheddar Soup
The gas prices (okay... I do not even have a car in Germany)
Brownies (That's a hint, Andi. I heard the mail can be really fast :-))
Jamba Juice
Using my credit card when I buy chewing gum...

Things I wont miss:

Repeating my name all the time ( Maaaaa - reeeeeei - keeee, no... not Maleika, Marky and not Mareiky
Construction on Woodward
Air conditioning everywhere, even when it is not hot. The next time I'll go to the cinema I can leave my winter jacket at home... yeeeeah....
Ice in every drink

The best support in the States:

First of all I have to announce the other half of the secret German Connection (TGC): Nicky
We are also known as the funny German Girls....that isn't true at all. The sarcastic German Girls fits much better :-)
Anyway, she was a good Senior Intern, friend, passenger in my car (Put your hands up for Detroit....), party buddy, protector, listener and skype-user :-)

Andi:

My favorite American lady and the best deskmate ever. She explained and taught me everything I needed to know to be a woman in America. Where to go out, where to buy the best clothes and cosmetic, the coolest slang, the best TV shows (even in the summer break). Btw she likes to watch people running on TV. At least she told me that she is recording all the marathons :-)
She shared her chips with me every day (sometimes I had to give her an angry look until she gave me the chips bag...but she always understood what I meant without saying anything) and she was always concerned about my language ("Oh s#!@"). Lauren and Andi, thank you for never washing my mouth with soap!!! But u know.... that's how I roll... fast and out of controll!!! And if u want, we can throw it down!!!
And I promise Andi, I won't tell the Ninja Turtles anything about that little accident. I heared their revenge is dreaded. Mum's the words. :-) (Ich liebe dich anyhow)

Josh and Marie:

They were my roommates, good friends and parents all in one person (or better two :-)): Helping me get furniture, they showed me the Ferndale club scene and worried when I came home late . They helped me when ever I needed help. Organized a great birthday party for me, took me to concerts, cooked sometimes for me, so I didn't have to eat mac'n cheese or bagels again =)

A bad memory:

I think I will never forget how I came home one time and it smelled terrible in our house. I was alone and couldn't find out what it was. I was petting our dog a little bit, who had strange red eyes. After some hours my roommate came home and told me the secret of the smell. Bobbi, our dog had attacked and killed (we didn't know this fact that day) a skunk. Before it died, it sprayed some of his "fragrance". Bobbi got the whole "stinky-cloud". After a billion baths she still smelled. What we didn't know that moment was that Bobbi was hiding the skunk and eating a little bit of it everyday. I prefer cookies or ice cream as desert, but every taste is different. Pretty gross. I am sorry.... too much information....! But as we found only the fur in our backyard and nothing else was left, the dog and the house stopped smelling....!

The best things during my time:

There are sooo many things to tell:
Driving the Aquada and jetski, many boat trips, horse back riding, sky diving (at least watching it :o)) traveling to NYC and Chicago. Btw.... I still owe you some New York picutes:

Toys'r Us at the time square. It looks a little bit like my room when I was a child :-)

Things I will never understand in America:

Construction...! Why do you have to close half of the street 2 month before you start with the construction??? But the best thing about construction are the men holding a sign. Isn't it much easier just to take a normal sign with a stand? If I will come back to the States I was thinking about doing that for work, but I can not descide: Do I want to hold the Stop or the Slow sign????? Give me some more time...!

One thing I have to tell you before I leave:

Perhaps you remember that I tried to get rid of my roommate called Young ??? I finally reached my target. And I found a great new roommate:

Our apartment downtown got a little bit too small....

So we decided to move to NYC and we found a really nice apartment next to the Times Square

Thanks a lot for everything, AutoCom staff... I really had a great time and I will miss u.....!

Mareike

News from Bianca

2007-09-19T13:34:00.000-04:00

Grüß Gott!

Hi AutoComers,

there are news again about my life in Germany:

I finally graduated from University and so I am enjoying hanging around doing nothing. :-)

So I already told you that I am an aunt now. My little nephew is getting huge and starts laughing and making funny noises. I am trying hard to understand what he wants to tell me. :)

Two weeks ago I came back from a great vacation with a friend of mine. We went to the Greek Island Crete and were had a lot of fun at the beach. The weather was great, the hotel awesome and the time was going by too fast. One day we rent a car (a little Fiat, which was really funny) and made a trip to the next city. Chania is a really nice city with a beautiful harbour (just see the pictures).

But the biggest news is that I will move to Munich next week. I tried to get a visa to come back, but that won’t work so I had to look for something in Germany. I found a great internship within a marketing consulting agency in Munich and I will start first of October. I am really looking forward to that and hope I will learn a lot of more new stuff.

That’s Munich, my new home:

It was an exhausting and depressing experience to find an apartment in that city. Munich is the most expensive city in Germany which made it really hard. They show you an apartment with about 301 square feet, which is dirty and ugly and want to charge about 500 Euros (=700$) for that. But finally I have found a pretty small apartment in a small city about 20 minutes out of the city. So now I am really happy and will move there next week.

You know, Munich is popular for the “Oktoberfest” which will start this weekend. So I will go there and will have one of those huge beers. I bet I will see a lot of funny people like those on the picture below. :) There is a sip for each one of you guys. So with every sip I will think about someone else and send a “Cheers” across the ocean. I also have already learned the Bavarian slang a little bit. (“Grüß Gott” in the heading means “hello” but in a really formal way. And the Bavarians use that a lot :-)).

If you ever come to Munich just let me know, so we can meet each other and I can show you Munich (and maybe the famous Oktoberfest).

@Jen: There is still the offer that you and Chris can come visit me. You’re always welcome.
@Maggie: Jump in the next plane. :-)

That’s about the news out of my life. I will try to call the office before I move to Munich and talk to you guys. Maggie, Jen, Mamma D we really need to talk I miss you so much!

So now I say “Servus” (that’s what you say in Bavaria when you want to say good bye) to everybody.

Take care!
Cheers,

Bianca

Banking from the Stone Age

2007-08-01T15:52:00.000-04:00

When Nicky and I opened our account at Comerica Bank, we received a great offer. We will get 100 Bucks when we use our debit card, direct deposit and web banking three times. As poor little interns and Birch Run way too close =) we really wanted that money.

To set up our account for web banking we needed our Social Security number, which we didn't have at the time and so we had to wait a little bit. Unfortunately that made us forget it. Three month later, Nicky and I remembered that we still had to do our web banking. We had a great idea, that I will transfer to her a small amount 3 times and she will do the same. No sooner said than done! But there was one very strange thing: You didn't need any "Transaction Authentication Number" (TAN) or the account number, only the address of the recipient was necessary. But Nicky and I didn't think much longer about that fact. We only wanted to use it to get the 100 Bucks. Who cares about safety, when you won't use it again?

Anyway...one week later we both still didn't have the money in our accounts and we started to wonder, what went wrong. Nicky had the great idea to read the small print and we found out, that American web banking is not like German web banking. You can take web or online banking literally in Germany. You transfer money online from one bank to another. In America you fill out a check online and the bank will send it by mail to the recipient. I am wondering if email is perhaps different as well in the States? Perhaps you are sending an email and the recipient gets a letter by mail :-) But back to the story: One day later Nicky got 3 great checks from me by mail.

First check: 1.00$

Second check: 1.01$

Third Check: 1.02$

(it wasn't possibe to take the same amount three times)

After finding out that this special offer was already expired, it was really too embarrassing to cash three one-Dollar checks at the bank. So we ripped the checks and had to go to Birch Run without our 100 Bucks of extra money :-(

(For everybody who is feeling sorry for us: Money is more than welcome: Checks can go directly to Nicole Degele or Mareike Ernst. Giftcards will be accepted as well)

"Austria" joins AutoCom

2007-07-19T09:21:00.000-04:00

Hi,

My name is Christina and I represent the other part of Europe’s German speaking countries. I’m from Austria, more precisely Lower Austria, about 60 miles east of Vienna. At home I have worked in our family business, which is a dealership for cars and motorbikes and a garage. I finished my studies of Business Administration three years before.

Why did I decide to go to U.S.? There are many reasons.
First of all it was always my wish to go abroad and to work in another country to gain new experiences. I had never considered studying abroad for a complete semester. I wanted to finish my studies as soon as possible because I attended University after 4 years of working at home.
Another reason is that I wanted to escape the family business for some time ;-)
And last but not least of course to improve my English.

It’s unbelievable that it’s already my third week at AutoCom. So it’s time to tell you about my first weeks in Detroit. Nicky – she is really as good as gold – picked me up from the airport, went with me to the impressive Mongolian Grill for lunch and brought me to my new home in Commerce Township, which is completely in a different area.

It was awesome how people welcomed and helped me with all kinds of stuff. They gave me rides, helped me with paperwork, and invited me to parties and for dinner… Thank you!!!

I arrived at a really good time. Because 4th of July was celebrated only one week after my arrival and so I had the chance to see a lot of fireworks. I think Americans do really love fireworks. They are amazing!

After two weeks of hard work looking for a car, I finally found the desired vehicle in Pontiac. At this please they are in a better condition, cleaner and more favorable than at other places.

So I would like to recommend two dealerships:

Giovanni Motors
1491 Baldwin Rd.,
Pontiac, MI 48340
Phone: 248-454-0711

Lookin-Nut Auto Sales
Quality Used Vehicles
“Wholesale Prices to the Public”
1390 Baldwin Ave,
Pontiac, MI 48340
Phone: 248-334-5539
(Ask for Curt, he’s the owner)

There is another very helpful link which I would like to introduce to you. If you have difficulties with the translation of miles into kilometer, Fahrenheit into Celsius, pound into kilogram or gallon into liter… http://jumk.de/calc/length.shtml

I knew from viewing the AutoCom intern blog, there is a right of passage in the office. This passage is cake nearly every week.
It’s really consistent.

The only thing what has changed is the person who’s cutting the cake. Now Marty has the honor. And he does it perfectly!

Last week there was another very impressive experience - my first media event “Tech Crawl”. The work is similar to my work at home, such as the promotion of new cars, but nevertheless it’s on another level. So I’m looking forward to future events and to get to know the PR business.

See you!

Christina

Tara, Earl of Drunwitch

2007-07-05T15:13:00.000-04:00

The common stereotypes against British people are:

- they always drink tea & eat Fish&Chips
- on vacations they always get sunburned, because the sun never shines in England
- their humor is dry and sometimes a little bit strange.

After a few weeks with our intern Graham from Swansea I don't agree with any of these stereotypes. I now believe that British people always drink energy drinks with strange pictures on it, they can never get sunburned because they are always wearing nice "whistles" and big American hats and their humor is everything but strange... To be honest... German humor, which means Nicky's and my humor ("The funny German girls" ©) is nearly the same...!

To score some brownie points at the beginning of his time at AutoCom he brought the new Aquada to the office. And who wants David Hasselhoff and K.I.T.T. when you can have the Earl of Drunwitch and the Aquada? A nice sport car and you only have to push one button and it will be boat. Knight Rider your time is definitely over!!! You CAN Adam & Eve it!!!!

But not only because of his car Graham stands out. He is very concerned with the well-being of his co-workers. He couldn't bear seeing me (Mareike) working with bellyache and needing a hot-water bottle (it's the only thing which helps against my little aches and pains and it is not very common in the USA, everything has to be cold here). But Graham found a solution to help me. And when I came back to my desk, a little "hot-water bottle" was waiting for.

But of course German people are never satisfied and I started complaining (complaning...that's how Germans roll :-)) that I want a bigger hot-water bottle. No, problem for the Earl of Drunwitch (by the way... are you and Manu collecting bottles in the back? Nicky can tell you, collecting bottles is useless in America :-) Sorry, Sweety!!!)

There was really hot water in these bottles. Graham had to use pot holder to bring it to my desk.

Thanks for everything, Graham. It really was a lot of "fun" to work with you. I hope it wasn't too difficult to understand our American friends. A special thank you for teaching me British slang. If I don't get a flight back to Germany, please give me a ride in the Aquada :-)

For everybody who doesn't understand every word, check this out: http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/B

Mareike

2007-07-03T13:53:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody,

Unbelievable how fast time passes by: this year it is 6 years ago that I have been working as an intern at AutoCom. It has been a great experience and was the start of my professional development in the Automotive Industry. After I finished my studies in Passau, Germany, I started working in Barcelona, Spain, for SEAT. I did the Traineeprogramm at the Communications Department and afterwards worked in International Product Communications. I had a wonderful time in Spain, learned a lot and made some valuable experiences that I will never forget. "Spain is different" and so it is to work over there. I discovered my "german side" and decided that I needed to go back to my country in order to grow further. And there was also another reason for me wanting to get back to Germany: my boyfriend Matthias who I met in Spain and who lived and worked in Nuremberg. After 3 years in Spain and almost 2.5 years of a long distance relationship, I finally got back to Germany in January 2007. I started at Audi AG in Ingolstadt, where I am doing the same job I have been doing at SEAT - working at International Product Communications. It is a great job and I am very fortunate that everything worked out so well.
And another positive thing is that I get to meet Larry every now and then at the International Motor Shows! ;o) I am sending best wishes from Germany to the whole team at AutoCom and hope I get a chance to visit you one day again!!

... Maybe during the NAIAS...you never know :-))

Petra

Time to say Goodbye

2007-06-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

Only two days left until Don Haberek will leave the AutoCom Team. He was our COO, interns supervisor and the best cake cutter ever!

He always had time for the intern's issues and was listening very patiently and carefully to us. Even if he had to repeat his advice a billion times for the foreign interns!

But he wasn't only a great interns supervisor. He also gave everbody the oppotunity to gain some weight, when he was cutting perfectly our (nearly weekly ;-)) cake. We really hope, we will find somebody who has the same great technic to cut a cake:

1) Be very gentle to the cake!

2) Use a very sharpe-edged knife, especially our chocolate junky Mareike doesn't want to waste a bit!

3) Be sure that you cut enough pieces.

But we think we allready have a new cake cutter. After a long long time Don finally found his twin brother. And accidentally he is working for AutoCom aswell. :-) Who is dressing like Don, must have the same skills!

Thanks for everything,

we will miss having

you on our team, Don!!!

Goodbye - Auf Wiedersehen

Joining the "aunt club"…

2007-06-12T15:11:00.000-04:00

Hi "Autocomers",

I don't really have to tell a lot of new stuff out of my life, right now. I'm still working on my thesis (which is almost done) and studying for my exams. That's about it. It has been a lot of stress the last weeks and I'm really looking forward to finishing University.
But on the 11th of June I became an aunt. My sister got her little son "Luca" now. And I am the proudest aunt ever on earth. :-) He is 21.26 inch tall and weighs 8.09 pounds. So far he is doing ok, he has got an infection and has to be in the children's hospital for a while to make sure he is ok. Here you got a picture of that little one day old baby. Isn't he cute?

So that's the most beautiful thing happening in my life and I still can't believe it.

Hope you are all doing alright!

Take care,
Bianca