Recently the FutureMidwest 2011 conference moved to Detroit’s Eastern Market for their third annual conference. Once again, people discovered what great things can happen with preparation, planning, planting and hard work as the digerati of the region analyzed the current state of digital business and looked to the future. This is the second year of GM sponsorship, and this year Buick was one of the major sponsors.

FutureMidwest 2011 organizers promoted the event this way: “Professionals with extensive digital, marketing and strategic backgrounds will teach attendees what they should expect to see in the coming years and how to successfully capitalize on the trends with marketing and business strategies.”

Buick was one of the sponsors of FutureMidwest 2011 because – as Buick spokesman Phil Colley says – the people at the conference are a perfect fit for the fastest-growing luxury brand in the U.S. “This conference has a lot of forward thinking people, who are innovators. People here are re-inventing Detroit from a digital perspective. That’s similar to what Buick is going through right now.” To further highlight that reinvention message, Buick invited filmmaker Erik Proulx to talk to the participants.

Erik shared the premiere of a 15 minute “short” of his still-in-production movie, Lemonade: Detroit. It is a sequel to his first film, Lemonade, which focused on people who had lost their jobs and then reinvented themselves. Erik says while Lemonade: Detroit is more focused geographically, it’s more wide-ranging in scope. “Lemonade: Detroit is about the whole city that’s actively reinventing itself. The automotive industry is just one part of this city’s identity. This film is about all those things. The entrepreneurs and the philanthropy and the arts and everything that goes into making the fabric of the city is really what this film is all about. It’s looking forward and not back, and not thinking about where it’s been, but where it’s going.” In other words, thinking about the future – which made it a perfect fit for FutureMidwest 2011.

Buick picked up the theme of the conference as it linked its products to the future, giving participants hands-on time with the upcoming 255-horsepower Buick Regal GS and the Regal with eAssist, a fuel-saving technology which improves overall fuel economy by 25 percent. The eAssist technology will be available on both Regal and LaCrosse later this year. Buick also offered test drives in current products such as the Regal Turbo and LaCrosse outside Eastern Market. Two Buick LaCrosses and an Enclave were also provided as shuttle vehicles for Inside Detroit-hosted tours of the city.

Reinvention and the future are clearly driving passions for both the presenters and participants at FutureMidwest 2011, and for Buick as well. You can check out the trailer of Lemonade: Detroit, and find out more information, on www.lemonadedetroit.com

You might remember Lora Herron, a materials engineer we profiled a couple of months ago. Well, here’s more about Lora’s work as it relates to the 2010 Buick LaCrosse: recycled cardboard from GM’s Marion, Ind., plant is converted into a substrate used in the vehicle’s headliner to help make the LaCrosse quieter. Check it out!

Dave enjoying time with his daughter.

Dave McIntyre – Buick LaCrosse product manager
Food finds: I like ethnic varieties and am particularly fond of Indian, Thai and Mexican.  Folks from outside Detroit might be surprised to learn we have great, authentic Mexican restaurants at our ‘Mexicantown.’  When I’m out of town, I love to discover the out-of-the-way places.  I’m a big fan of the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives — that type of restaurant is right up my alley.
Tunes: My iPod is loaded with everything from 60′s and 70′s R&B (Bill Withers, Temptations) to modern alternative (Killers, White Stripes, Beck) and everything in between.
Film fest: As a busy dad of two, I don’t have a lot of time for movies these days, but I love everything from Slumdog Millionaire to Forest Gump and the Tarantino and Coen brothers flicks.

Growing up, I never thought my job would involve visiting car buyers’ in their homes to learn more about their lives, likes and dislikes.

But for the last few years, my role has been to serve as the voice of the customer on the Buick LaCrosse, and part of that is doing what we call “garage visits,” where we met with loyal Buick customers and competitive owners in their homes to gain insights about their lifestyles and brand preferences. Then, we used that info to reinforce or complement what we find in broader industry studies and focus groups.

For LaCrosse, I visited about three customers per day for three days in Atlanta, Chicago and LA. I’d spend about an hour in their homes before we even start talking cars.  We want to know about their favorite possessions, their favorite room, major purchases or home improvements and why.

This can lead to insights about their overall values and specifically relating to cars, how they prioritize quality, value, brands, and more.  After that, we’d go for a drive in their vehicle and ask them what they liked and disliked about it.

When we were developing the LaCrosse, I was constantly involved in ‘negotiations’ with other areas of vehicle development, like engineering, manufacturing, purchasing and design, trying to find the best balance of often conflicting objectives, such as cost, quality and appearance. My role was to advocate for what we believe the customer wants and needs.

The whole family.

I have been involved in the program since its inception.  When I started working on the LaCrosse, I didn’t have any kids… now I am the proud parent of a 4-year old and a 2-year old.

I’ve always been a big outdoors person – boating, biking, golf, etc.  As my kids get older, I’m looking forward to getting them interested.  The other night with a wiffle ball and a plastic bat, my 4 year old daughter got a little ‘baseball 101.’  I was surprised that she could hit it so well…  Look out, Jeter!

In Virtual Engineering, we create digitized data of parts using laser scanning equipment and make 3-D models in the computer.  We can then virtually put the parts together.  This allows us to see how they will fit together in the manufacturing process and improve the fit and finish of our vehicles earlier in the launch process – all on the computer. A great example is the new Buick LaCrosse – the fit and finish of the interior parts shows the kind of work that my colleagues and I do.

At work, I create engineering solutions and share them with others. We use scanning and virtual engineering as part of our interior craftsmanship and match build processes to launch a new car at the plant.  I work closely with the craftsmanship and match build engineers to help them add more technology to achieve their quality goals.

Another part of my job is teaching these technology processes to our other engineers, and I’ve spent a lot of time traveling to China, Korea, India, Brazil and almost every vehicle assembly plant in North America, to work with my colleagues across the globe.