January 12, 2007 -- The DEC was pleased to continue its tradition of celebrating the opening of the 2007 North American International Auto Show, with featured speaker the Honorable Kwame Kilpatrick, mayor of the city of Detroit. The meeting was co-hosted by the North American International Auto Show.

The Detroit News kicked off the meeting by announcing the winners of its 2007 NAIAS Readers' Choice Awards. The following models took the honors:

Best Value: Ford Fusion
Most Awesome Off-Road: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Grooviest Wheels: Toyota FT-HS
Most Luxurious: Rolls Royce Phantom
Most Earth-Friendly: Chevrolet Volt
Sexiest Vehicle: Jaguar XKR
Most Innovative: Jeep Trailhawk
Plushiest Interior: Mercedes Maybach 62S
Best Curves: Lincoln MKR
Best Family Hauler: Chrysler Town & Country
Best Future Fantasy: Mercedes Ocean Drive
Best of Show: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

Mayor Kilpatrick then took the stage, outlining economic developments and structural changes within the city government that will propel Detroit's growth in the coming years. Kilpatrick noted that economic diversification and business attraction are among his main focuses.

"To go after a large corporation in the automotive manufacturing industry would be different than going after Google. And we need to understand the various ways that we need to modify our attraction strategy in the city of Detroit to address emerging concerns of new businesses in these United States and abroad."

During the question and answer period following his remarks, Kilpatrick was candid on his relationship with the Detroit Board of Education. "The city voted 66 percent to 33 percent to not have me involved in education. But when the teachers went on strike, I got 200 letters in my office, phone calls, 16 parents from one of our high schools came to our lobby and said you better do something. So I don't believe they really want me out. And I think if the crisis gets big enough, they're going to be down there again, asking me to do something. Right now, what I'm doing is working in a communication type of way with the Board, with the administration, trying to figure out, how can I assist? How can I do the things that I can do? And we're working together on that. I believe that there's going to be an incredible moment in history, where we'll have to come together to fix what's happening in our school system." Those in attendance were treated to two tickets to the NAIAS, courtesy of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association and the North American International Auto Show.

January 9, 2007 -- The Detroit Economic Club Junior Executives hosted the Third Annual Auto Show Panel Discussion. The topic "Is Product King?" was addressed by a panel of automotive and industry executives, including Joseph Dehner, Director, Jeep/Truck Design Studio, DaimlerChrysler Corporation; Jim Dunne, Detroit Editor, Popular Mechanics; Peter Horbury, Executive Director, Design, The Americas, Ford Motor Company; Jim Taylor, Cadillac General Manager, General Motors Corporation; and Charles Vogelheim, Vice President, Automotive Development, J.D. Power & Associates. This candid look at the critical forces connecting consumers to the automotive market included discussions on technology, design, and luxury.

Vogelheim noted that while today's cars offer a myriad of convenience features, consumers may not value them if they are too complicated to learn and use. "They want all these things, and they want them to be easy to operate," Vogelheim said. "Like any electronic device we have -- whether it's a DVD or a TiVo, or anything else -- unless we can work it, it doesn't matter how many features it has."

In addressing the industry's retro design trend, the panel had differing opinions on whether inspirations from the past have lasting appeal. "I compare automobiles with the fashion industry in general," said Dehner. "Everything that comes down the runway isn't necessarily a new thought. There are revisits to the past, things you're inspired by. I think in the auto industry there's room for retro, but I don't think everything needs to be retro. We need to move forward, look to the future, create new ideas."

"The acid test, I think, is if you ask the fifteen year-olds," said Horbury. "If they like it, then you're okay."

The evolution of luxury vehicles was a hot topic. While luxury has in the past been defined by size, style, or quietness of ride, today's luxury vehicles tout sophistication -- and, as Dunne observed, lots of power. "One of the cars here has 600 horsepower at the show. And 500 horsepower is ordinary now. I guess that's part of your luxury car -- you have to have the horsepower," said Dunne.

Taylor addressed the overall question: "Is product king?" He said that while product is of utmost importance, it is the customer that calls the shots in the market. "We need to remember that the customer is king," Taylor said. "It sounds trite, but product isn't king -- the customer votes and people forget that too often."

The Detroit Economic Club just wrapped up a series of thought-provoking meetings connected with the 2007 North American International Auto Show. As Detroiters, we love our cars, but for the coming weeks and months, the DEC will shift its focus toward other areas. Upcoming meetings at the Economic Club will take us outside of the auto industry and into telecom, health care, accounting, energy and IT. Just as a savvy investor should diversify his or her portfolio, the DEC is going to mix it up with a sampling of leaders in various market sectors.

As always, stay tuned to the DEC Web site: www.econclub.org, the Newsmaker Report and the club's Connections newsletter to stay on top of upcoming or late-breaking meetings.

All the best,

Beth