ST. LOUIS, MO, Jun 01, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
Leaders from the world’s largest automobile manufacturer and the
world’s largest car rental company are convening at the world’s
largest plant science research institution — the Donald Danforth
Plant Science Center — to share their perspectives on the future of
automotive transportation and how to keep passenger vehicles
economically viable and socially relevant.
Mark Reuss, President of General Motors North America, and Andrew C.
Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Holdings
– which owns and operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car
Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands — will meet Monday, June 4, 2012,
at the Danforth Center. Their panel discussion, to be live streamed,
will be moderated by sustainability expert and journalist Marc
Gunther.
Together, Reuss and Taylor will vet and share ideas about the future
of the passenger vehicle and corporate sustainability, including new
technology, biofuel research, local mobility, supply chain
responsibilities and other public policy issues. “Innovation is
obviously critical to the future of General Motors and to the entire
automotive industry,” said Reuss. “As a result, we continue to
develop progressive solutions to ensure passenger vehicles remain
acceptable to society while still meeting the evolving needs of our
customers.”
General Motors is working to develop more sustainable transportation
by focusing on energy alternatives and various advanced technologies.
It is pursuing several options to meet the varied needs of customers
around the world — from improvements to combustion engines, to
alternative fuels such as diesel and biofuels, to electrically driven
vehicles. It is committed to a global strategy with vehicle solutions
tailored to each region of the world.
GM believes biofuels are the most significant near-term solution to
reduce dependence on petroleum and the carbon footprint of driving,
while electrically driven vehicles offer the best long-term solution.
For more information on how GM is reducing the environmental impact
of its vehicles and facilities, visit its sustainability report and
environmental blog.
The Business of Sustainability
“One of the keys to the future success and sustainability of our
business is building on our partnerships and sharing best practices,”
said Taylor, who also participated in last summer’s National Summit
on Energy Security in Washington, D.C. “General Motors has been our
partner since Enterprise was founded in 1957, and we are pleased to
work with them to bring new alternative technologies and fuels to
consumers.”
In addition to partnering with auto manufacturers like GM and
operating the world’s largest local car rental network, Enterprise
has taken a strong leadership role in the car rental and travel
industries with its corporate sustainability efforts. “The Taylor
family’s $35-million gift to the Danforth Center and its Enterprise
Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels is one more way to further
this mission,” explained Lee Broughton, who heads up corporate
sustainability for Enterprise Holdings.
The Enterprise Institute for Renewable Fuels is located at the
Danforth Center, an independent, nonprofit research institution. At
the Institute, scientists — under the direction of Dr. Thomas
Brutnell — are researching and developing new and sustainable
methods of creating next-generation biofuels from nonfood crops such
as camelina, switchgrass and algae that someday could be used to
power cars, trucks and aircraft, reducing both environmental impact
and the nation’s dependence on foreign fuel sources.
Enterprise’s focus on sustainability also led it to join the
Electrification Coalition in 2010 and the U.S. Department of Energy’s
“Clean Cities” National Clean Fleets Partnership in 2011. In
addition, the Danforth Center will begin making Enterprise
car-sharing services available to its team of scientists and
researchers this summer. “We are always looking for ways to
strengthen our partnerships, and our close relationship with the
Center makes this option an ideal fit from all perspectives,” stated
Taylor.
According to Taylor, Enterprise Holdings is uniquely positioned to
help drive the future of sustainable transportation and urban
mobility. Not only is Enterprise Holdings the world’s largest
purchaser of passenger vehicles, but its one-of-a-kind local
car-rental and car-sharing network — including 6,000 branches
located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population –
enables the company to quickly and efficiently introduce millions of
drivers to new automotive technology. In fact, this fall, Enterprise
will be launching its new Driving Futures Network, whereby an
expanded fleet of electric vehicles and hybrids, including the Chevy
Volt, will be offered to car-rental and car-sharing customers in more
than 30 markets across the country.
Visit
www.danforthcenter.org/DanforthSocietyPresents to view a
live-stream of the panel on June 4.
About General Motors
General Motors Co.
/quotes/zigman/1466682/quotes/nls/gm GM
-0.86%
and
its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has
leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing
automotive markets. GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as
well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall
and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries,
including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and
information services, can be found at
http://www.gm.com .
About Enterprise Holdings
Founded in 1957, Enterprise Holdings is
the most comprehensive service provider in the car rental industry,
operating — through its regional subsidiaries — the Alamo Rent A
Car and National Car Rental brands as well as its flagship Enterprise
Rent-A-Car brand in North America. Enterprise Holdings’ worldwide
network includes more than 7,700 neighborhood and airport locations,
with 6,000 offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S.
population — and more than twice as many locations as Enterprise
Holdings’ nearest U.S. competitor. With annual revenues of $14.1
billion and more than 70,000 employees, Enterprise Holdings owns and
operates more than 1.2 million cars and trucks, making it the largest
car rental company in the world measured by revenue, employees and
fleet. For more information about St. Louis-based Enterprise
Holdings, visit
www.enterpriseholdings.com . For more information
about Enterprise Holdings’ Corporate Sustainability Report or the
company’s environmental stewardship and long-term commitment to the
sustainability of its business, visit
www.DrivingFutures.com and
follow @LeeBroughton on Twitter. This news release and other
announcements are available at the Enterprise Holdings press room.
About the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research
institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant
science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and
improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance
the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant
science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and
contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes
of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International
Development and the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation. The Donald
Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its new website,
www.danforthcenter.org , featuring interactive information on the
Center’s scientists, news and research, including the Enterprise
Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, the Center for Advanced
Biofuel Research and the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and
Bioproducts. Public education outreach, RSS feeds and the brand-new
“Roots Shoots” blog help keep visitors up to date with Center’s
current operations and areas of research. Follow the Center on
Twitter at @DanforthCenter.
For more information, contact:
Laura Bryant
Enterprise Holdings
314-512-4178
Email Contact
Terry Rhadigan
General Motors
313-665-3177
Email Contact
Melanie Bernds
Donald Danforth Planet Science Center
314-587-1647
Email Contact
SOURCE: Enterprise Holdings
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