Ed Welburn, General Motors’ head of global design, is retiring effective July 1. He will be succeeded by Australian Michael Simcoe, vice president of design at GM’s International Operations, who will begin taking over for Welburn on May 1.
GM’s Ed Welburn on Designing the 2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray 1Working for GM is the only career that Welburn, who turned 65 in December, ever pursued. As an 11-year old boy growing up in Philadelphia, he wrote to GM seeking advice on how he could become a car designer. The letter was answered, and Welburn — just the sixth man to ever steer GM design — was on his way. He graduated from Howard University’s College of Fine Arts and started at GM in 1972 as an associate designer, becoming the company’s first African-American designer. Welburn’s GM career spanned 44 years.
A $15,000 grant was awarded to the National Corvette Museum from State Farm Insurance to further the museum’s initiative in providing Teen Driving Programs, materials and training for the community.
State Farm has made $59,000 in contributions toward the teen driving program since 2013.
“It’s great that they offer grants for this kind of thing because we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them,” NCM marketing and communications manager Katie Frassinelli said. “Most importantly they want to save lives and help us save lives.”
The funding will go toward Tire Rack’s Street Survival program and for service and maintenance on the museum’s two interactive driving simulators, which are used for teens and adults to practice safe driving habits and for monthly teen driving clinics.
State Farm spokeswoman Judy McConkey said: “Car crashes are the number one killer for teen drivers so it’s very important for State Farm to do all it can [...]
