Inside
4Q2011
2...Revenge of the Value Champions
3...Member Spotlight: Ray Coppiellie
4...Leader Spotlight: Christine Bernhard Viegas
6...Upcoming Events
6...ACC Invites You to Connect “Member-To-Member”
8...In Case You Missed It…
10...Counsel, Colleagues and Supporters Gather on the Links
10...ACC News
11...Welcome to the Chapter’s Newest Members!
12...ACC Michigan Board of Directors
12...Get Active In ACC-Michigan
12...Cartoon Contest
focus
President’s Message
Brian Smith (Holcim US, Inc.)
As I am writing what will be my
last update as President of ACCMI, the days are getting colder
and winter is truly upon us. But
for those of us that attended this
years’ ACC Annual Meeting,
we experienced winter much
earlier with unexpected snow in
Denver! This years’ meeting was
outstanding as always. The variety
of topics covered, as well as the
facilities where the meeting was
held, was world-class. It was great
to catch-up with colleagues I have
not seen in a while and meet others
(from Michigan or otherwise) for
the first time! Next years’ event, in
Orlando, FL, promises to be just as
good. Special thanks to our First
Vice President, Bernie Lourim, for
putting together a small cocktail
reception for ACC-MI members
on Sunday evening before the
meeting started on Monday. It was
an ACC-MI membersonly event, and it
gave us a chance to
meet and spend time
with others from our
chapter before we lost
each other in the sea
of Annual Meeting
participants (I heard
that this years’ meeting
was the largest ever, by
25%)!
chapter has provided
you the members this
year would not be
possible. I am proud
to be a part of this
organization, and
wanted to say thanks
for all you do! The
only sad part of my
term as President has
been is how quickly it
has gone by. Just as I
have begun to feel comfortable in
the role my time is winding down.
But I look forward to continued
participation in the chapter in the
years to come. I wish everyone a
good end to 2011 and look forward
to all of the great things that
ACC-MI has to offer in 2012.
I wanted to take this opportunity
to thank all of the members of
the ACC-MI Board of Directors,
Executive Committee, Committee
Chairs and Participants,
and especially our Chapter
Administrator, Mitzy Sharp Futro,
for their tireless efforts in support
of the chapter. Without the hard
All the Best!
work of all of these individuals, the
great programs and other events the
Revenge of the Value Champions
By Amar Sarwal, ACC Vice President & Chief Legal Strategist
Do you remember the end of the iconic
movie, Revenge of the Nerds, when Lewis
takes the mic from Gilbert and suggests
that more of us are nerds than jocks? The
pretty cheerleader exclaims she’s a nerd
too; most of the crowd joins Lewis, Gilbert
and his nerd fraternity brothers in an effort
to end nerd persecution, and the familiar
strains of “We are the Champions” begin to
play. Well, that cinematic moment was one
of the formative experiences of my youth (I
didn’t get out much) and it came to mind
when I was thinking about ACC’s new
Value Champions program, our new initiative to identify and celebrate law department and law firm leaders who incorporate
value practices into their legal projects. I’ve paid my dues/Time after time
I’ve done my sentence/But committed no
crime
And bad mistakes/I’ve made a few/I’ve had
my share of sand kicked in my face But I’ve come through
Three years ago, ACC challenged the legal
community to embrace value practices that
are commonplace in every service industry,
save one. While we heard some folks sing
their hosannas, there were, and still are,
folks who believe that the legal services
industry can remain the same and still
meet client expectations. Like the dinosaurs that were unaware of the meteor, the
firms and law departments that continue
with the old business model will not find
the future climate hospitable. Wait a sec.
Wrong analogy. Like the jocks who thought
that they would continue to rule the campus on their terms. Sorry about that.
But, like Lewis and his new self-proclaimed nerd supporters, those of us
implementing change are in a growing
group. In fact, outside and inside counsel
who focus on value practices, such as effective project management, value-driven fee
arrangements and continuous improvement, are fast becoming the norm, not
the exception. And, that’s what the Value
Champions program is all about. We’d like
to shine a spotlight on them, so that the
world can see their accomplishments and
learn from them.
Michigan Chapter FOCUS 4Q11
I’ve taken my bows/And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune and
everything that goes with it/I thank you all
But it’s been no bed of roses/No pleasure
cruise
I consider it a challenge before the whole
human race/And I ain’t gonna lose
Of course, some value practices are easier
than others. Some of them require the
simple application of business principles
from other industries. And, we want to
identify and celebrate individuals who
have employed those practices, because
we believe their accomplishments can be
replicated by our members and the rest
of the legal community. But, of course,
some projects are harder, more complex
and more frustrating at times, because the
ideas animating them are so novel. Think
of the nerds’ effort to beat the jocks in the
fraternity competition. So, we’d like to
celebrate innovative strategies as well. If
you’ve tried something novel or something
more garden-variety, please let us know
about it. Our only requirement is that the
submitted project has reduced legal spend,
increased predictability and/or reduced the
unwelcome types of legal issues confronted
by the company over time.
We are the champions – my friends/And
we’ll keep on fighting – ‘til the end
We are the champions/We are the champions
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions – of the world cated as part of the ACC Value Challenge,
you could be recognized as an ACC Value
Champion.
Eligibility
• Law department leaders can be nominated (or self-nominate) for in-house
team projects that did not involve a law
firm or firms.
• Law department and law firm leaders
can co-nominate firm/client partnerships.
• ACC membership or sponsorship is not
required.
Demonstrate Your Leadership
Whether you achieved great results on a
single matter, or over a multi-year, multidimensional effort, just define the scope
and duration of the project and tell us
about the results you achieved and how
they were measured. For example, you can
highlight results measured year-over-year,
relative to hourly-based pricing, against
an industry benchmark, and/or any other
relative metric.
The story is important. Let us know what
management tactics you used, bearing in mind that there are many ways to
drive value. Innovation and collaboration
(whether internal or between clients and
firms) are also important, as is creating
programs that others can replicate. If you
have used or developed tools, templates, or
dashboards, please share them as well.
Our deadline for submission is March
15, 2012. If you’re in the legal community
and you’ve ever cared about value enough
to incorporate it into your day-to-day
practice, turn up the volume on Freddie
Mercury’s classic and join us and submit a
nomination form. The legal services industry just won’t meet client expectations until
value persecution ends. We look forward
to hearing from you.
***
Honors and Recognition
Celebrate Value Champions
Nominations are requested by March
15th. A panel of ACC staff and ACC Value
Challenge Steering Committee members will
review the nominations, and will contact
nominees if additional information is
needed. The ACC Value Champions will
be announced in Spring 2012.
ACC Value Champions
ACC Value Champions are law department and law firm leaders who have made
great strides in improving the value of legal
spending. By implementing pricing and
other management practices advo-
If selected, you will receive public recognition for your innovation and success.
You’ll receive an engraved, crystal “trophy,” media exposure, profiling in ACC’s
member publication, ACC Docket, and
the opportunity to present your value
initiatives as part of an ACC educational
program.
Process and Timing
Member Spotlight: Ray Coppiellie
Intellectual Property Counsel, Ford Global Technologies, LLC (FGTL), Dearborn, MI
Interview conducted by Kathleen Sheehan,
Roush Enterprises
Since this latest Member Spotlight is
highlighting another ACC member
employed by Ford, I thought it best to clarify
that members are chosen at random for
this column by our Chapter Administrator.
Now that you know how Ray Coppiellie was
selected for our Spotlight, I hope you enjoy
this brief interview with Ray as much as I
enjoyed speaking with him.
I went to the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) website and searched all
filed patents where you were named as the
attorney of record. I discovered you have
successfully prosecuted a whopping 383
patents, 378 of which have been for Ford.
That’s quite impressive!
Well, not really. Given that I’ve been
Intellectual Property Counsel at Ford
for 22 years, that would mean that I only
prosecuted roughly 17 patents in each
year of my employment since I first began
working at Ford. In fact, I’ve prosecuted
more patents at Ford than what is reflected
on the USPTO website. The USPTO
records the name of the attorney on the
patent when provided to it and over the
years, FGTL has had various practices of
who should be the named attorney on the
patent. So my name may have been left off
a few more patents.
Are there any innovations and
contributions that you have helped Ford
bring to the world?
Much of the technology I’ve filed patents
on is manufacturing technology. It can
be best described as new materials and
manufacturing processes for use in
production.
Wow, that means that you get to see new
technologies at their inception, that’s very
exciting!
Yes it is! Equally exciting is the opportunity
to learn about the new technologies from
the engineers who originated the ideas.
The engineers are excited to teach me
about their new ideas and I enjoy learning
about the particulars of those ideas and
their application to Ford’s products.
Another benefit of the position is that I
also get the chance to see
the concept vehicles - that’s
always very exciting!
What is the current focus of
your practice at Ford and the
challenges that go with it?
Well, for the last 10 years I
have been actively involved
with the transactional side of
Ford’s business, specifically
with the divestitures of
Visteon, Aston Martin, Volvo, and Jaguar
Land Rover. Most recently I worked on the
establishment of a joint venture in Russia.
Each deal has presented its own unique
set of challenges, the first being the local
laws, since each transaction is between two
companies from two distinct jurisdictions.
The second and biggest challenge is
achieving a deal without giving away Ford’s
intellectual property!
Did you go straight from law school to the
Ford Motor Company?
No. In fact, I worked for a small boutique
intellectual property law firm for one year
before I joined Ford. I clerked at the firm
my last two years of law school and was
offered an opportunity after I graduated.
Since we opened the subject of school,
tell me about how you came to pursue a
degree in law.
Well, I can tell you that when I went to
college I never intended to become a
lawyer. In fact, I was pre-med at Olivet
College. However, an experience at a
hospital during my first year led me
conclude that the practice of medicine
and hospital life was not for me. So I
returned home and attended Wayne State
University, where I eventually received
my Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical
Engineering. When I graduated, it was
difficult to find an engineering job. By
chance, I was talking with a friend about
the difficulty in securing an engineering
job. He recommended that I consider
going to law school. He believed that
with all the changes coming about in
technology, a law degree would be worth
pursuing. After some thought, I did as he
suggested and enrolled at the University
of Detroit Law School. I can truly say his
advice was one of the best I
ever received.
Ray, tell me something
unique about yourself that
is totally unrelated to your
practice as an IP attorney.
About 4 or 5 years ago I took
up hunting. I hunt deer and
wild boar.
Gosh, I know about deer
hunting, but I’ve never known anyone
that hunted wild boar! I understand wild
boars can be quite dangerous, is that true?
Yes. Hunting wild boar anywhere,
including here in Michigan, can be
dangerous. Wild boars are very strong
and aggressive animals despite their
appearance. They can weigh between 200
to 300 pounds and they have tusks. Wild
boars will charge if surprised or they feel
cornered, this could result in severe injury
or trauma. Also, if you shoot but merely
wound a wild boar, the situation quickly
becomes very dangerous. Unlike other
wild animals that run off once wounded,
wild boars will charge. Therefore, you have
to be quick and accurate on the next shot,
otherwise the consequences could be dire.
Understand their tusks are like razors.
They charge head down and slash up when
they reach their target; this causes the
tusks to tear into the target.
Where do you go wild boar hunting?
I hunt at Ted Nugent’s Sunrize Acres
located in Jackson, Michigan. Unlike a
typical wild boar, the boars on his ranch
are less aggressive and are unlikely to
charge just because someone is in their
territory. However, as mentioned before,
if injured by a shot they will become
aggressive and charge so accurate shooting
is imperative.
Have you read any good books lately that
you would recommend?
When I began working on the Volvo
divestiture, I decided to read the thriller
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest by
the late author Stieg Larsson. I figured it
would be an interesting read since it was
continued on page continued from page set in Sweden and would provide some
insight into the culture.
Ray, you have a very unique last name
“Coppiellie” can you tell me about its
origin?
“Coppiellie” is a Belgian name and dates
back to about 1650. Back then, my family
was known for shrimp (or prawn) fishing
on horseback. National Geographic published an article some years ago about the
Belgian shrimp fisherman on horseback.
Although a dying breed, they ride horses
along the coastline while dragging fishing
nets behind them. In the past, the farmers
of the region would use the fish caught as
fertilizer in their fields, and the fisherman
brought home the shrimp to feed their
family and sell at market.
Tell me a little about your family and
how you spend your time at the end of the
workday.
I’ve been married for 28 years and have 3
grown children (two boys and a girl) ages,
26, 25, and 23. Since my children are on
their own now, my wife and I are learning
to deal with this empty nest phase of life.
One of our activities is attending sporting
events that our nieces and nephews
participate in. It’s really a continuation of
what we did with our own children when
they were growing up because they were
heavily into sports.
Do you have any thoughts about the
America Invents Act?
It definitely will generate more work for
patent attorneys. Another benefit is that it
will harmonize the U.S. Patent system with
the rest of the world that uses a “first to
file” approach.
Do you use any resources of ACC and, if
so, which ones and why?
Yes, I use the InfoPAKs a lot. They
were especially helpful when we were
establishing the joint venture. From time
to time I also go on the ACC website to
find articles that are relevant to my current
practice.
***
In conclusion, I found my conversation
with Ray to be very interesting, especially
with regard to his practice at Ford and
how he hunts wild boar. In addition, we all
learned a bit of history that could arguably
come up as a Jeopardy question: They are
known to fish along a European coastline
on horseback. Who are the Belgian shrimp
fisherman!
Leader Spotlight: Christine Bernhard Viegas
Vice President, The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group of companies, located in Dearborn, Michigan, operates in 11 states and provides AAA, banking
and other insurance services.
Interview conducted by Susan Diehl, The
BarTech Group
Author’s Note: Chris has been with The
Auto Club Group for about 25 years and
has decided to retire as of the end of this
year. She has been a long-standing ACC
and Michigan Chapter member, as well as
serving on its Board and as an officer.
How have you benefitted from ACC over
the years?
ACC has a phenomenal number of
resources for in-house lawyers. There
is a great depth and breadth of on-line
resources, and the training and networking
opportunities are vast. In particular, I
appreciate the “problem solving” and
collaboration with other in-house counsel
facing similar issues. In some instances,
I have used the ACC in-house network
to drive business solutions company to
company.
What do you plan to do once you leave
The Auto Club at the end of the year?
My husband, Les, and I have recently
purchased and are renovating a
Michigan Chapter FOCUS 4Q11
condominium. I have also
been helping Les through
a serious illness, which has
prompted my decision to
retire.
I have a lot of passion around
capturing “lessons learned”
from navigating the health
care process, and I hope to
share my work with others
who do not know how to
obtain the information and resources they
need to help their loved ones.
How has The Auto Club Group changed in
the time you have been there?
When I started at The Auto Club Group,
there were three lawyers and they were
operating in one state. Now, there are eight
lawyers and they are operating in eleven
states. This past year, I have helped to close
an acquisition with some southern states
and to enhance their banking operations.
What contributions has ACC made to the
in-house practice of law?
During my tenure as an ACC member,
ACC has brought clarity to a
number of issues, including:
the attorney-client privilege
for in-house counsel,
Dodd-Frank, education on
emerging trends, and a core
in-house counsel curriculum.
The Michigan Chapter
also has a Foundation for
promoting in-house practice
and is unique in having this
Foundation.
What do you enjoy most about the ACC
Michigan Chapter?
There are wonderful, high quality people,
who care deeply about the chapter and
keeping its future bright, despite tough
times. The Board works as a team to get
things done. The Foundation is also a
wonderful organization, which promotes
in-house practice to new lawyers. We
continue to encourage others to give their
time to the chapter, either as leaders, or by
participating in the many committees or
activities.
Count on Us. Count on More.
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With Clark Hill at your side, you can be assured that we will be there, always, when and where
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Upcoming Events
The chapter is currently making plans for
the 2012 programming year. Place these
tentative dates on your calendar now, and
watch the ACC-MI website (www.acc.com/
chapters/mich/) for more information
Tuesday, January 24
Morning Program in Southeast Michigan
Tuesday, February 28
Morning Program in Southeast Michigan
Tuesday, March 20
Morning Program in Southeast Michigan
Tuesday, April 17
Morning Program in Southeast Michigan
April Special Event: ACC-MI Foundation Scholarship Reception
Tuesday, October 16
Morning Program in Southeast Michigan
Wednesday, May 2
2012 In-House Counsel Event (with
Crain’s Detroit Business)
Tuesday, October 23
Morning Program in West Michigan
Tuesday, May 22
Morning Program in West Michigan
Thursday, June 14
Spring Social
Tuesday, November 13
Morning Program in Southeast Michigan
Thursday, December 6
ACC-MI Annual Meeting
Tuesday, September 11
15th Annual ACC-MI Golf Outing
September 30 – October 3
ACC Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL
ACC Invites You to Connect “Member-To-Member”
One of the most valuable benefits of your
ACC membership is the ability to connect
with other in-house counsel throughout
the country – and around the globe! While
attending chapter events is a great way to
meet your local peers, there’s no need to
stop there.
ACC has recently launched “Member-toMember” (or “M2M”) – a one-stop digital
connection for ACC members to share
resources, expertise and interests. Whether
Michigan Chapter FOCUS 4Q11
you’re looking for a sample document,
hoping find a referral in a distant locale,
or want to reconnect with that fun person
you met at the last event, look no further
than M2M. Member announcements,
egroups, member directories, and communities can all be found here, and the
newly-enhanced profile capabilities let you
share as much (or as little) about yourself
as you’d like.
Log in to Member-to-Member at www.
acc.com/m2m. Complete or update your
profile, and start enjoying the benefits of
the world’s largest community of in-house
counsel.
Focused on the needs of in-house counsel
Foley is proud to support ACC-MI. We are a trusted resource for in-house counsel,
providing comprehensive legal services with integrity, insight, and innovation.
At Foley, we treat your success like ours, because we’re in this together.
To learn more, contact John Trentacosta in our Detroit office at 313.234.7124 or [email protected].
Foley.com
In a recent survey* of Fortune 1000 corporate counsel, Foley received a top 10 ranking out of more
than 500 firms for our strong client focus, breadth of service, innovation, and value for the dollar.
*2011 BTI Client Service A-Team survey, The BTI Consulting Group (Wellesley, Massachusetts)
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In Case You Missed It…
• Attendees got to look at employment law
challenges from both sides of the table on
October 4, as Jackson Lewis sponsored “A
Workplace in Flux: Legal and Legislative
Update on the Changing Legal Landscape
in 2011.” Marlo Johnson Roebuck, of the
firm’s Southfield office, discussed disability
and leave issues, discrimination, thirdparty retaliation claims, and other recent
developments. She was joined by special
guest, Kathleen Bogas of Bogas, Koncius &
Croson, who shared the plaintiff counsel’s
perspective on these issues and more. The
session was informative, entertaining, and
enlightening for all involved.
ACC-MI Director and Program Committee Member Kristen Netschke
joins Kathleen Bogas and Marlo Johnson Roebuck just before the two
presented on “A Workplace in Flux” on September 27.
• On October 4, ACC-MI, LexisNexis and
the In-House Committee of the State Bar
of Michigan’s Business Law Section hosted
a Breakfast Networking Roundtable event
at Schoolcraft College’s VistaTech Center in
Livonia. Approximately 40 in-house counsel gathered for informal “in-house only”
discussions on key topics of interest, such as
compliance, intellectual property, and litigation. Each table focused on best practices,
ideas, common challenges and approaches
from the point of view of corporate counsel.
Among those helping to make our October 4 breakfast roundtable
event a success were (L-R) Latrina Edwards (ACC-MI Director and
Program Committee Chair), Theresa Orr (Co-Chair, State Bar of
Michigan In-House Committee), Christine Viegas (ACC-MI Director),
Jeni Turner (LexisNexis), Michael Spurlin (LexisNexis) and Kimberlee
Yapchai (Co-Chair, State Bar of Michigan In-House Committee).
Michigan Chapter FOCUS 4Q11
A special thanks to our morning’s facilitators,
each of whom volunteered to keep the conversation moving at their table:
• Becky Burtless-Creps, Ford Motor Company
(Compliance)
• Tamika Frimpong, First Place Bank (Law
Department Management)
• Greg Jenkins, Masco Corp. (Mergers &
Acquisitions)
• Peggy Lynch, Masco Corp. (Litigation)
• Theresa Orr, In-House Committee of the
State Bar of Michigan’s Business Law Section
(Intellectual Property)
• James Partridge, Ally (Law Department
Management)
• Amy Stirling Lammers, Wayne State University (Litigation)
• Christine Viegas, The Auto Club Group
(Mergers & Acquisitions)
• Kimberlee Yapchai, Masco Corporation
(Compliance)
General Counsel
Resources
Expert advisors in connection with:
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Transaction and valuation disputes
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Intellectual property disputes
Q
Commercial litigation damages
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Fraudulent conveyance actions
Q
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Q
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Q
Michael N. Kahaian
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Counsel, Colleagues and Supporters Gather on the Links —
For a Great Cause!
The weather was warm, the camaraderie was evident, and the golfing? It depended whose foursome
you joined! Regardless of performance, however, everyone had a
great time at the 14th Annual ACCMI Golf Outing, held at Fox Hills
Country Club on September 13.
More than 100 golfers - and 30+
dinner guests - all came together to
enjoy the day and support the ACC
Scholarship Fund.
Following the afternoon on the
course, everyone enjoyed the
chance to mix, mingle and laugh
over cocktails and dinner. Golfers and non-golfers alike enjoyed
the shoulder massages, and raffle
ticket sales were brisk thanks to
prizes that included electronics,
golf equipment, sports tickets and
more.
Many thanks go to the golf committee, led by Marcy Wolfson, who
did a great job pulling everything
together.
Among those enjoying the weather, fun and friendly competition at the 14th
Annual Golf Outing were (L-R): Brian Smith, Marcy Wolfson, Matthew Case,
Kelly Freeman, Tim Guerriero, Kristen Netschke, Lance Lis, and
Christine Viegas
ACC News
It’s Alive! — Get Your Member-toMember Mobile App Today
Download ACC’s Member-to-Member
mobile app today and stay connected with
the largest online community of in-house
counsel on the go. Just a click away, you
can get updated ACC announcements, find
members through the membership directory, participate in eGroup discussions,
and build your own contact list. There’s
also an entire section within the app dedicated to ACC’s Annual Meeting. This app
is compatible with iPhone, Android, and
BlackBerry devices. Download it today at
www.acc.com/m2m.
10
Michigan Chapter FOCUS 4Q11
Business Education for In-house
Counsel: Mini MBA
Enhance your business management skills
at the Mini MBA for In-house Counsel
program. A two and a half-day program
co-sponsored by ACC and the Boston
University School of Management, it is
designed to sharpen your knowledge
in critical MBA disciplines including
accounting, finance, strategy, and organizational behavior. Multiple program dates
are available for you to choose from: Mar
5–7, 2012, Boston; Apr 25–27, 2012, Los
Angeles; Jun 4–6, 2012, Boston; and Jun
6–8, 2012, Boston. For more information on this program and other programs
developed by ACC and BU, visit www.acc.
com/businessedu.
Get Back to Basics at Corporate
Counsel University®
Are you new to in-house or looking for
ways to sharpen your basic in-house
practice skills? Attend ACC’s Corporate
Counsel University® (May 20–22, 2012,
Los Angeles, CA) to jumpstart your career.
At this program, you will learn practical tips that can be applied to your work
immediately and earn up to 12 CLE/CPD
credits. Topics range from law department
management to finance and accounting.
To learn more, visit ccu.acc.com.
continued on page 11
continued from page 10
Show the C-Suite You Know
Value
Develop techniques to effectively structure
value-based fees and drive efficiency at
ACC’s Legal Service Management Workshop (February 28–29, 2012, Dallas, TX;
or May 2–3, 2012, Minneapolis, MN). At
this two-day, intensive executive workshop, through a blend of instruction and
business school style case analysis, you will
learn to improve value in legal spending
and develop skills to thrive professionally.
Space is limited to 50 law department and
law firm leaders in each workshop. Learn
more and register at www.acc.com/legalservicemanagement.
Save time. Save money. Save
your weekend.
We’ve done the homework for you. ACC
has assembled a select set of Alliance partners to help you get your job done faster,
easier, and within budget. Exclusive savings for ACC members are available from
leading service providers, including:
• Applied Discovery, a worldwide
electronic discovery leader, offers
ACC Members the Applied Discovery®
Leverage™ suite that includes Leverage™ Review, a hosted review platform,
Leverage™ Data Analytics for early and
ongoing case assessment and Leverage™
Review Analytics for monitoring quality
and reviewer performance. ACC mem-
bers are eligible for exclusive discounts
and complimentary services.
• Practical Law Company (PLC) offers
a wide variety of up-to-date resources
across all major practice areas. These
include how-to guides, model agreements and cross-border guidance. ACC
Members receive extended free trials, a
10% discount on retail pricing for firstyear subscriptions, and 5% discounts on
renewals to the new PLC Law Department service.
Find out more about these and all of the
other ACC Alliance partners at http://
www.acc.com/alliance.
Welcome to the Chapter’s Newest Members!
Lori Adamcheski, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Edwin Herbert, Asset Acceptance Capital Corp
Uzma Ahmad, Con-Way Inc
Stephen Krull, Con-Way Inc
Tina Allen, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Rick Lindenberger, Menlo Worldwide, Inc.
Stacie Behler, Meijer, Inc.
Iain MacGregor, Ford Motor Company
Earl Blackburn, Termuo Cardiovascular Systems
Phyllis Morey, Lear Corporation
Ryan Bobel, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Aaron Morrissey, Meijer, Inc.
Gina Capua, Guardian Industries Corp.
Scott O’Neal, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Stephanie Clifford, RGIS, LLC
Jon Osgood, Ford Motor Company
Janet Delecke, Chrysler Group, LLC
Fred Owens, Ford Motor Company
Kirsten Devoto, DTE Energy Services, Inc.
Susan Pifer, Meijer, Inc.
Josh Dobrowitsky, Eaton Corporation
Annie Schaefer, Timm Construction
Eric Doyle, American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
Joe Schlageter, Con-Way Inc
Julie Dykstra, Meijer, Inc.
Daphne Short, Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC
Marsha Fershtman, Inteva Products
Dolores Studier, Ford Motor Company
S. Rae Gross, DTE Energy Services, Inc.
Michael Suchowski, Dynamic Surface Technologies
Bruce Henderson, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Mark Torigian, Hyundai America Technical Centers Inc
11
Board
Members
andof
Contacts
ACC
Michigan
Board
Directors
Cartoon Contest
President
Brian Smith
Holcim (US) Inc.
Corporate Counsel
Cartoon Contest
First Vice President
Bernard Lourim
FANUC Robotics America Inc
Corporate Counsel
Second Vice President
Kelly Freeman
Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc
Assistant General Counsel
Secretary
LaTrina Edwards
The Auto Club Group
Assistant General Counsel
Treasurer
Bernard Lourim
FANUC Robotics America Inc
Corporate Counsel
Immediate Past President
Timothy Guerriero
TI Automotive Ltd.
Vice President & General Counsel
Directors
Christine Bernhard Viegas
The Auto Club Group
Vice President Office of General Counsel
Matthew Case
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Senior Attorney
Lance Lis
Inteva Products, LLC
General Counsel
Ellen Padesky Maturen
Pulte Homes, Inc.
Associate General Counsel
Kristen Netschke
Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc
Corporate Counsel
Lawrence Paulson
ThyssenKrupp USA, Inc.
Assistant General Counsel
Brett Pynnonen
Federal-Mogul Corporation
Associate General Counsel
Jeffrey Rumley
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Vice President & General Counsel
Kimberly Thomas
Priority Health
Vice President & General Counsel
Marcy Hahn Wolfson
Ford Motor Company
Counsel
Executive Director
Mitzy Sharp Futro
313.961.6120 x201
[email protected]
Get Active In ACC-Michigan
Get more value from your ACC membership. By participating in an
ACC Committee, or serving on the board of directors, you will meet
other Michigan in-house counsel, work on areas of interest, and create
a wonderful network of colleagues and friends. Committee meetings are
generally by telephone and take only a small amount of time and effort.
Please join us!
____ Communications
____ Educational Programs
____ Golf Outing
____ Membership
____ Scholarship Program
____ Social Programs
____ Pro Bono
____ I am interested in serving on ACC-Michigan’s board of directors
Name:
____________________________________________________
Company:____________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Phone:
____________________________________________________
Fax:
____________________________________________________
Email:
____________________________________________________
Please complete this form and return to Mitzy Sharp Futro:
Fax: 313.965.0842
Email: [email protected]
12
Michigan Chapter FOCUS 4Q11