On Jan. 22, leading auto industry executives will gather together to discuss challenges such as petroleum displacement, fuel efficiency and green house gas reductions during the Washington Auto Show's Green Car Summit. Presented by Green Car Journal, an auto enthusiast magazine, the summit will begin at 2 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Moderated by Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and GreenCar.com, the auto industry panel will include Sue Cischke, senior vice president of Sustainability, Environment, and Safety Engineering at Ford; Gregory Cesiel, Fuel Cell Vehicles program director at General Motors; Reg Modlin, director of Environmental and Energy Planning at Chrysler; Tom Strickland, director of Technical and Regulatory Affairs, Environment at Toyota; and David Geanacopoulos, director of Industry-Government Relations at Volkswagen of America. "The Green Car Summit will address the context of the great effort unfolding in automakers' labs by examining how and when advanced technologies and alternative fuels will make it to the market and which offer the greatest potential for change," Cogan says. The summit's second panel, moderated by Washington Post automotive columnist Warren Brown, will garner perspectives from organizations at the forefront of advanced fuel and technology activities. Panelists include Brian Wynne, president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association; Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association; Jeff Serfass, president of the National Hydrogen Association; Rich Kolodziej, president of NGVAmerica; and Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. The "Green Car Parade" featuring a lineup of eco-friendly cars will will kick off the summit. The Washington Auto Show, scheduled from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27, connects the auto industry with the public policy process by uniting Washington's political elite with auto industry leaders. With its theme of "Engineered for the Future," the show provides an important platform for "green" technologies. For more information about the 2008 show, visit its Web site. |
