AutoSuccess Magazine is proud to announce that Susan Givens has been named the publication's new Publisher. Susan has been with Systems Marketing Inc., the parent company of AutoSuccess, since its inception, and most recently has served as the company's Vice President. Since starting with AutoSuccess Magazine, she says has seen the industry changing. "More women are influencing the automotive industry than ever before, it’s an exciting time for both consumer and automotive industry women!"

Susan brings a wealth of experience to her new position. In addition to her experience with the magazine, Susan won the 2007 Women's Automotive Association International (WAAI) Spirit of Leadership Award; is heavily involved with AskPatty  serving on its Expert Panel; and has made many alliances within the automotive industry.

I'm thrilled with this opportunity," says Susan. "I'm ready to lead the magazine into a new era of commitment to both our readership and our advertisers. This will result in a win-win situation for everyone involved."

Have you noticed how much trash is usually generated after a party and thought about how it sullied an otherwise wonderful atmosphere?  Ballparks, night clubs, birthday party, even sometimes, green events, can create tremendous amount of waste, pollution, and emission from all those things we toss away, all those miles we commute to get to them.  If your family or your company is hosting a green event, make sure it is backed up by equally responsible eco-actions.  Otherwise it could appear hypocritical (walk the talk), and could contribute to an image problem.  Studies have shown that there is a backlash building with green washing and you don't want to be the target of a backlash.  Events with eco-friendly footprint also tend to generate a feel-good atmosphere for guests, since we all like to know that we are doing our part in being eco-responsible.

The recent "Chevy Rocks the Future" event in Los Angeles, which brought together hundreds of schoolchildren, celebrities, and Chevy green vehicles, is an example of how to green your events.  The bash was designed with the environment in mind.  Most items associated with the event are either organic, made of sustainable materials, recyclable or biodegradable materials.   

I had been shopping at the local Fry's Computer store recently, buying a new flat screen computer monitor and various other supplies to assist running some of the day-to-day tasks at AskPatty.com. I was walking through the parking lot on my way back to my car when I saw something very rare parked among the vehicles there.

It was a gorgeous DeLorean sportscar, in perfect condition. Its stainless steel body was smooth and shiny, the louvers across the back window still retained their black matte finish, and the wheels appeared to be ding free; inside, its two leather seats seemed practically brand new. Sold in America in 1981, 82, and 83, The DMC-12 featured gull-wing doors with a fiberglass "underbody," onto which non-structural brushed stainless steel panels are affixed. Many people are familiar with the vehicle thanks to its starring role as the time machine in the "Back to the Future" films, as well as for the high-profile 1982 arrest of company founder John DeLorean, for drug trafficking. (It was told that DeLorean was attempting to raise funds for his struggling company, which declared bankruptcy that same year.) He was able to defeat these charges, proving that his alleged involvement was a result of entrapment by federal agents. John DeLorean died in March 2005 from a stroke at the age 80.

I spent some time admiring this iconic vehicle there in the lot, circling around it as if it were a show car on display, in hope that the owner would come out soon so I could find out more about the car. It certainly appeared to be well cared for, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't read the odometer through the windows to find out how much it had been driven. Unfortunately, though I waited quite some time, the owner never appeared and so I left, but kept thinking about that emblematic vehicle.

Do you have a car crazy kid in your household? Then you’ll want to check out Ridemakerz, the home of custom-made “ridez.” If you’re familiar with Build-a-Bear, then you’ll get the concept of Ridemakerz. Pick out a body, add some custom paint, wheels, and accessories and you’ve got a made-to-order ride.

If you live in the east near a Ridemakerz location, you can take your car lover to the shop and build a custom ride right there. You can even throw a party where all the kids can make their own. Not near one? Choose a car or truck online, add the features and paint you like, and have it shipped out! Basic models start at $12 and go up from there. Don't forget the pre-made "Cruize Ready Ridez." The Chip Foose limited edition model pictured goes for $35.

Welcome to the AskPatty Blog Carnival, where we provide a midweek fix of female friendly news and interesting automotive tidbits from around the blogosphere. Have you got something to share? Use the form at the end to send us your own blog bits to be included in next week's carnival!

World-renowned tuner and hot rod king Boyd Coddington passed away suddenly this week; and the cause of death has not yet been released. Coddington, founder of Boyds Wheels and designer of prize-winning custom cars, had recently been hospitalized twice for an undisclosed medical condition. Although he was though to be in recovery, a spokesperson for Boyd Coddington's corporation confirmed to Jalopnik that those rumors are true.

Free money! Every year, the Women's Board of the Car Care Council offers thousands of dollars to deserving girls and women for education in the automotive industry. Up to three $1000 scholarships are awarded to up to three female high school students who plan on pursuing a career in the automotive field after graduation by attending an ASE-certified, post-secondary automotive technology program. One $1500 and one $2500 technician scholarships will also be rewarded to women who have completed at least one year in an ASE-certified, post-secondary automobile technology program, and plan on entering the automotive field after graduating from the program. Click here to download an application. Specific requirements are listed on the application, and applications must be submitted by May 15, 2008. Winners will be notified in July 2008.

When you're buying a new car, a test drive is an essential step in the process. But once you're behind the wheel, you only have a short time to make some very important decisions. What do you look for? CNNMoney.com staff writer Peter Valdes-Dapena shares tips on the right way to test drive a car, starting with "Don't rush it."

It is estimated that at least 40% to 50% of business travelers are females compared to 1% 30 years ago. SkyLounge,  a new business travel network, recognizes the majority of their online traffic is generated by women, and helps business travelers who want to network before, during, and after their trips by alerting members whenever a colleague or business contact is in the same city. Members can see where their contacts are at any time in the world and expand their business network at the click of a button.  "Women account for 30% of total membership but take credit for more than 55% of the traffic" said founder Marcel van Gemerden.

Acording to money.cnn.com, Ford Motor Co. will be recalling more than 180,000 sport utility vehicles and vans  in two separate recalls to fix interior door handles and faulty fuel hoses. Also, General Motors will recall 181,516 Chevrolet HHR wagons after finding that some of the vehicles don't meet government standards for protecting occupants from head injury in a crash. More information on recalls can be found through The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 or safercar.gov.

This week's pink car is courtesy of Winding Road, which has a short article on Sakura (cherry blossom)-colored cars for Japanese women, saying, "With spring on its way, people all over Japan are preparing for the annual blooming of the sakura cherry blossom trees. The cherry blossom is as close to a Japanese national symbol as it gets."

First, electric cars.  Now electric scooters.   Would this be another class of vehicle to go zero-emission soon?  I sure hope so, for the millions of motorbikes that are polluting the air in developing countries. 

Here is a picture of Ho Chih Minh City in Vietnam during rush hour.  I have tried crossing the street (there is no choice if you are a pedestrian there) and it is real scary. 



Here is a picture of Taipei, Taiwan, with its motorbikes amidst its copious traffic.  I have ridden in one during lunch hour and my eye stung from all the pollution.  Literally watering and painful from all the SO2 and NO2 in the air.  It is a sad reality in many parts of the world, ours included – think Los Angeles and any other big city -- that vehicular emission significantly reduces quality of life.  Perhaps the electric motorbike will come to the rescue.  Perhaps not.  It has as much to do with economics, as its compelling environmental credential.  Let's look at one such example on the market in the USA today. 

Staying connected is a way of life now. Recent research from the Consumer Electronics Association shows there are more than 200 million mobile phones in the U.S. Ford Motor Company research also indicates customers want to stay connected to their digital media players: More than 70 percent of new car buyers are looking for the ability to use digital media players in their new vehicles.

Sync, developed in collaboration with Microsoft, is an easier and more affordable way to connect to digital media players and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. Available this very moment in the 2008 Ford Focus, but in a total of 12 vehicles from Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury by the end of this year, Sync will help accelerate this trend towards in-car connectivity. I've spent some time in the Sync Focus, and it was cool. It doesn't matter what device you bring into the car, the Sync system knows how to deal with it; you can wirelessly connect to your Bluetooth phone, or cable-connect your MP3 player. And then operate those devices completely with voice commands.

Convenient. Handily hands-free. Easy to use. It's a no-brainer. Sync, how do I love thee, let me count the ways:

My son is taking driver's training lessons right now. This would not be anything exciting for most mother's however, my son is thirty-five, got his driver's license when he was 16, had a car accident in 2005 which resulted in paraplegia and is learning to drive again with hand controls! I am so excited, worried and proud of his desire to get right back into life and have his freedom back and participate in life more fully.

This no easy feat believe me . I was asked to park a car for a friend who drives with hand controls and got in and much to my chagrin had no idea how to operate a car with hand controls, the joke was really on me that day; car girl cannot drive car due to hand controls installed! LOL

He is also shopping for a new vehicle and is looking over all the manufactures mobilility programs that help hand or other special need control drivers off-set the high costs of driving customized vehicles  that enable the freedom of driving. Talk about primp my ride and aftermarket accessories that are expensive , whoa! Check some of them out here.

My son made a New Year's Resolution is to do the "3 S's" this year: Surf, Scuba and Ski in 2008. He went skiing last week and had a blast, although I was nervous at the prospect, he had help from a program designed for this type of ski experience and as a former avid snowboarder he took to it in no time! Woo Hoo!  This photo really made me smile!

The work I do with UnitedSpinal.org and Motorability Island in Second Life is all about providing a better quality of life and life enriching experiences for persons with spinal cord injuries or diseases. My reward is watching my own son begin to enjoy a more fun, interesting and exciting life.  Maybe too exciting for mom here  but he was always an A-Type into bungee jumping ( yikees) , white water boating and all those edgy sports and activities and that will never change. 

"What," you may ask, "is the 85% Niche?"  And, "What does it have to do with the automotive market?"  Well, the answer to that is twofold:  The 85% Niche stands for the power that women represent as consumers in the automotive industry.  Yes, women influence the purchase decision of up to 85% of all new car and truck sales in this country and buy over 44% of all new vehicles!  That's over 6.3 million new cars and trucks.  And at an average price of $30,000 per new vehicle, we are talking about roughly $200 Billion dollars in automotive sales led by women.  Among women of color--Black, Latina, and Asian--we are looking at an audience that purchases over 1.4 million new cars and trucks (22% of all women purchases)--generating $42 Billion dollars in sales.  There is no disputing that we are a force to be reckoned with--no matter what our ethnicity or culture!

The 85% Niche also represents the name of the company I founded three years ago after having spent 25 years as an executive in Fortune 100 automotive and consumer packaged goods companies.  As the head of marketing and/or diversity, I sat at the decision-making table, marshaled the troops to create advertising and brand messages that connect with women, launched new products that were aligned with our needs as consumers, developed sales training to help retail teams learn how to build effective relationships with women, and executed these programs in a way that generated incremental sales and profits.  Now, as CEO of The 85% Niche, I can focus this experience to help companies tap into the power of all women--White, Black, Latina, Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, and more--and across many industries (from automotive to financial services, to home improvement, travel, consumer electronics and more) through women/diversity savvy marketing and sales strategies.  My goal is to dispel the notion that women are a "niche segment"; we are a powerful group of consumers capable of generating significant business results! 

During the Speedweeks, Goodyear introduced its new Racing and Diversity program in conjunction with NASCAR.

“Goodyear is proud to offer deserving high school students a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the wide variety of career opportunities available through the sport of NASCAR,” said Kris Kienzl, NASCAR Marketing Manager at Goodyear.  “Thanks to our longstanding, uninterrupted involvement with NASCAR, we are able to provide an inside look at career paths from engineering and design to marketing and promotions, with mentors from all over the sport, whether from NASCAR, individual race teams, tracks or Goodyear.”

In its first year, the Goodyear Racing and Diversity program has already provided more than 60 high school students from across the country the chance to experience NASCAR first-hand and receive a behind-the-scenes look at a NASCAR race.  Students participating in these events had to maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be in good standing in their school and local community to become eligible to apply for race-weekend internships.  Once selected, students are paired with one or more ‘mentors’ in career areas of interest to them for two, six-hour days of work.  Those students who complete their race-weekend internships are then eligible to apply for one of six scholarships, including five $2,000 awards and one $30,000 scholarship to be used towards their continuing education.

“NASCAR is proud to partner with Goodyear in creating this new program and looks forward to helping them provide meaningful career experiences for promising high school students across the country,”,” said Marcus Jadotte, Managing Director, Public Affairs for NASCAR.