ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Governments are playing a critical role in the restructuring of the global automotive industry. In the United States, President Obama's Automotive Task Force has presided over the successful emergence of General Motors and Chrysler from bankruptcy, and has provided critical assistance to automotive finance and supplier firms.

Ron Bloom, who recently assumed the leadership of the Presidential Task Force on the Automotive Industry, will join the speaker lineup at the industry's traditional summer gathering, the CAR Management Briefing Seminars Aug. 4-7 in Traverse City, Mich.

The seminars, sponsored by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., offer several sessions focused on critical global automotive strategies, including "The Beneficent Hand? The New Role of Government in the Global Auto Industry." Bloom will address this Aug. 5 session, along with Linda Hasenfratz, chief executive officer, Linamar Corp. and chairperson, Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA); Rod Lache, director, North America Equity Research, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.; Ken Lewenza, national president, Canadian Auto Workers; and Dave McCurdy, president and CEO, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

"Government and other stakeholders are offering a very rare second chance to this vital sector of the U.S. economy," said Dr. Sean McAlinden, CAR's executive vice president of research and chair of the session. "In this session, we will hear firsthand from key players in the government-led restructuring, some of whom are now charged with protecting the public's investment in GM, Chrysler and GMAC."

An up-to-date listing of speakers and sessions is available on CAR's Web site: mbs.cargroup.org. For more information or to register, contact the Center for Automotive Research at (734) 662-1287 or visit the Web site.