Collegiate Chapter Project Presentation Competition
CMU Baja for the Win!
(more photos to follow)
Photo courtesy of Ben Ritter
GM Heritage Center Comes to Grand Blanc!
Speaker: Kevin M. Kirbitz, Director – Heritage Operations. General Motors Heritage Center, General Motors Archives, and Durant-Dort Factory One
Monday, Apr. 17, 2023
Durant-Dort Factory One, 303 W Water St, Flint, MI 48503
5:00 PM Social
6:00 PM Dinner – Pizza & Salad Buffet from Luigi’s Pizzeria
7:00 PM Program
Kevin Kirbitz’ engineering expertise, Buick pedigree and deep knowledge of General Motors have converged into an automotive historian’s dream job: witnessing the transformation of the 19th century Durant-Dort Carriage Company Factory One in Flint, Michigan, into a modern community resource that also honors the innovators and risk-takers who helped make GM possible. The newly renovated facility, once one of the largest carriage factories in the world, is considered the birthplace of GM. In addition to Factory One, Kirbitz was also named manager of the General Motors Heritage Center, formerly located in Sterling Heights, Michigan, but now in the process of moving to Grand Blanc, Michigan. The Heritage Center serves as a display location for a portion of GM’s impressive collection of historic experimental and production vehicles along with a large collection of original documents and artifacts spanning the company’s history.
Kevin Kirbitz currently serves as director of the General Motors Heritage Center in Grand Blanc, Michigan, which houses a portion of GM’s extensive collection of historic vehicles as well as the GM Archives, and the renovated Durant-Dort Factory One in Flint, Michigan, once one of the largest carriage factories in the world and considered the birthplace of GM. Kirbitz has put his stamp on the company through more than 43 years in manufacturing, quality, product development, and communications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in manufacturing management from General Motors Institute, now Kettering University.
For ticket or scheduling questions, please contact Bernard at 810-265-8365 or ms037@email.sae.org
Formula SAE Racing
Wed.-Sat., May 17-20, 2023
Brooklyn, MI
The Formula SAE competitions challenge teams of university undergraduate and graduate students to conceive, design, fabricate, develop and compete with small, formula style vehicles.
Announcements
To contact Governing Board members, please send message to ms037@email.sae.org addressed to a team member with your comments and/or request.
The elected Governing Board positions are:
Section Chairperson (required position) —- ( Anthony Santavy )
Treasurer (required position) ——————- ( Robert Miller )
Secretary ——————————————- ( Alex Rath )
Vice Chair Communications ——————- ( James Browne )
Vice Chair Membership ———————— ( Bernard Santavy )
Vice Chair Section Planning ——————- ( Mark Pope )
Vice Chair Student Activities —————— ( Ryan Ma )
Vice Chair Corporate Relations ————— ( OPEN )
Director Motor Sports ————————— ( Bill Owen )
Appointed positions:
Company Rep. Chair ————————- ( OPEN )
General Arrangements Chair ————— ( OPEN )
Ticket Committee Chair. ——————– ( Bernard Santavy )
Newsletter Editor —————————– ( OPEN )
Program Chair. ——————————— ( Mark Pope )
Manager Membership Recruitment ——- ( OPEN )
Webmaster ——————–——————– ( Dale Stephan )
Call for Mid-Michigan Section SAE Member Input
The Section Leadership Team is requesting comments and suggestions from the section membership as to ways the section may better support the member’s needs and expectations. Over the years the job requirements and work environment for the members in this section has dramatically changed. The SLT (Section Leadership Team) believes we are not keeping up with the rapidly changing interests and needs of the modern engineer.
The SLT needs to know what types of Dinner Meeting Programs and Presentations the section members would find relevant as well as entertaining. Additionally how technical are these programs and presentations to be?
There also is the option of having events without a formal plated meal. Informational seminars providing information and/or training can be produced with light refreshments to save time. Also timing most be considered. What day of the week and at what time should events be held?
These are just a few of the questions and considerations the SLT would appreciate input from the section members. Please take a few minutes from your busy schedule to send your comment and suggestions to the SLT via email SAEMidMichSec@cs.com
On the topic of section communication, what is the best and/or preferred medium? Would the SAE Member Connect Mid-Michigan Microsite provide the best conduit? We have been using a service called Constant Contact to communicate section activities. The Detroit Section uses this tool as do other sections. We are experiencing a 20 to 25 percent opening rate which is on a par with Detroit Section’s experience. Then there is the old standby snailmail. Would anyone care to comment on communications methods?
Call for Volunteers
The Section Leadership Team is extending an invitation to the section membership to join us in managing the Mid-Michigan Section. There are opportunities to participate a little or a lot as your available time permits. The SLT needs help with communications and event promotions. Just helping with ticket sales and reservations can have a big impact on section performance with just a little personal time. The value of new volunteers is the fresh ideas they bring to the team. The SLT needs fresh thinking to stay current with the latest trends.
The SLT holds a Governing Board Meeting once a month. A volunteering team member can attend in person or via webex. Being a SLT member is not all work. We actually have fun once in a while. Working with the SAE Collegiate Chapters is rewarding. We have a National Engineer’s Week event featuring the Collegiate Chapters. We participate in Flint, Michigan’s “Back to the Bricks” with an award presentation. New volunteers would allow these programs to expand.
The SLT hopes to hear from each and everyone of the section members. We will be publishing Governing Board Meeting dates with the Constant Contact eBlast and every section member is invited to attend so we may become acquainted. A light dinner is provided at these Monday evening meetings.
Bernard Santavy ……..
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Would your organization sponsor or host an event and provide a speaker?
Contact Bernard Santavy,
Mid-Michigan SAE members are automatically ESD affiliate members.
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