Supply Chain Challenges in the Automotive Industry

Mary Beth McGowan is a Government Policy Advisor who has been providing federal government relations services to Dykema’s clients since 2008. Ms. McGowan consults a broad range of clients from local governments to nonprofit organizations to corporations on legislative and regulatory issues related to transportation, cybersecurity, electric power and energy, environmental policy, telecommunications, the appropriations process and federal budgetary matters.

Ms. McGowan has developed and implemented successful advocacy strategies on behalf of clients that have both supported the advancement of policy proposals, for example, improving federal procurement of energy efficient goods, as well as prevented policies that would negatively impact clients from moving forward, such as protecting the public safety communications network of a local government from being auctioned. Additionally, Ms. McGowan is experienced in advising on funding opportunities and making key contacts within Federal agencies. 

Prior to joining Dykema, Ms. McGowan worked as a policy advisor to United States Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA). In that role, she was actively engaged in all aspects of the legislative process from preparing briefings for committee hearings, upcoming votes, meetings and speeches; reviewing, analyzing and summarizing pending legislation and budgets; meeting with business and special-interest representatives; preparing correspondence and communications to the Executive Branch and drafting press releases. 

Glenn Stevens is the executive director of MICHauto and serves as the Detroit Regional Chamber’s vice president of automotive and mobility initiatives. In this role, Stevens provides strategic direction and leadership to the MICHauto program in its efforts to promote, grow and retain Michigan’s automotive and next-generation mobility industries. MICHauto is a statewide industry association focused on developing the state’s automotive and mobility industry in the key areas of: talent and education, advocacy, industry awareness, mobility and the startup ecosystem.

Stevens has more than 25 years of management, strategy and operation experience across the automotive, mobility, steel, specialty chemicals, and capital equipment industries. Prior to joining the Chamber, Stevens served as senior vice president of membership and sales with the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, where he was responsible for membership growth and retention, strategic partnerships, and automotive industry development with states across the nation. Additionally, his previous experience includes leadership positions with Blue Water Automotive Systems, Kolene Corp., and National Steel Corp.

Stevens serves on the Governor’s State of Michigan Mobility Leadership Steering Committee and leads the Detroit Mobility Solutions Coalition. Additionally, he currently serves on the board of Team 1 Plastics, the board of the Michigan State University Broad Executive Forum and serves on the Executive Planning Committee of the FIRST Robotics Championship. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and an executive MBA from Michigan State University. Glenn Stevens can be contacted by email at gstevens@detroitchamber.com.

RJ is a Director in BDO’s Advisory Practice and serves as the Supply Chain Advisory Practice Leader. He has more than 18 years of experience in supply chain/logistics working with manufacturers, distributors, trucking companies and third-party logistics companies (3PL).

Starting his career as a part-time Distribution/Inventory Supervisor for the medical industry, while attending college as a student-athlete, paved the way for a diverse background in all functional areas of Supply Chain.  After college, RJ acted as GM for a small outdoor recreation consumer products company who focused on eCommerce and distribution to big box retailers.  There he managed operations, logistics, and implementation of a WMS and helped improve service-related metrics such as OTIF while reducing inventory and decreasing delivery time to eCommerce channel customers.  After his role in retail, he continued in the Distribution/Logistics field as a Hub Manager for UPS, focusing on Less-than-truckload (LTL) and Parcel.  Here RJ managed 60-70 Union and Non-Union employees for daily production and 250+ drivers servicing the largest region of the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

RJ then moved into the 3PL sector managing supply chain solutions for food industry and retail clients, working in multiple roles varying from Procurement, Distribution, Strategic Solutions, and Transportation Operations. As a member of the Leadership Team, RJ managed over $500 Million of transportation spend (Truckload, LTL, Parcel, Air, Ocean) and executed savings of over $100 Million for various clients, including McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, Darden Restaurant, Chipotle.

Prior to entering the consulting industry, RJ acted as the Director of Global Supply Chain & Logistics for Matthews International (NASDAQ GSM:MATW), a $2.1 billion publicly traded manufacturing company with more than 10,000 employees on six continents at more than 150 locations, RJ developed, implemented and managed strategic initiatives: Hub & Spoke transition, transportation optimization, centralized supply chain operations and integrated technology (TMS/WMS/Fleet Telematics). RJ managed a network consisting of 10 Manufacturing Plants, 5 Hubs & 150+ Distribution Centers worldwide and Internal OTR (Over-the-Road) and Distribution Final Mile Fleets consisting of Union and Non-Union drivers (500+ drivers).

Since transitioning to consulting in 2017, RJ has assisted clients at various manufacturing, distribution and transportation/logistics companies focused on supply chain network design/integrations, manufacturing process improvement, distribution/transportation operations and information technology implementation.

Lisa provides mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory services in Lincoln’s Industrials and Technology, Media & Telecom Groups. She works on sell-side and buy-side transactions with private equity, corporates and family-owned businesses, utilizing deep industry expertise to ensure a top outcome for each client.

Lisa recognizes the importance of client/buyer relationships. She not only works to support Chinese clients and investors, but also to facilitate cross-border transactions. She enjoys utilizing advanced industry technology to understand new market trends and business models.

Prior to joining Lincoln, Lisa worked as an Analyst at Robert W. Baird, where she advised on M&A transactions across European countries.

Lisa is currently a Master of Science candidate, graduating in March 2020 from Vienna University of Economics and Business. She earned a Bachelor of Management from People’s University of China and a Bachelor of Science from Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Laura Baucus is a results-oriented litigator and business attorney with experience delivering consistent results to clients in the automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and financial services industries. Ms. Baucus has worked both as outside counsel and as seconded in-house counsel. She is the Director of Dykema’s 140+ attorney Automotive Industry Group, the immediate past Leader of the firm’s Financial Services Litigation Practice, a Leader in Dykema’s COVID-19 Task-Force, the originator of the firm’s Supply Chain Group, the Manager of a firm OEM client-service team, and the immediate past Manager of the firm’s largest Michigan office. 

Ms. Baucus regularly counsels clients on force majeure and related contract performance options. Her litigation practice focuses on procurement and supply chain, recalls, warranty and cost recovery, contract termination, tooling recovery, Uniform Commercial Code issues, and financial services.  Her contract practice includes negotiating and drafting supply contracts and other commercial agreements for automotive and other manufacturing companies, including terms and conditions. Ms. Baucus also manages national portfolios of lawsuits for some of the nation’s largest residential mortgage servicers.

Ms. Baucus has extensive experience in legal project management, including:

• Leader of legal project management team on a multi-million dollar litigation portfolio
• Managing hundreds of multi-state financial lawsuits for national banks and servicers, including managing a team of 40 Dykema attorneys

Ms. Baucus frequently develops and presents seminars and continuing legal education (CLE) programs for legal and business clients on topics including contracting processes and risks, terminating distributorship risks, purchase order terms and conditions and battle of the forms, force majeure risks in the automotive industry, CFPB topics, Regulation X, legal risks related to digital mortgages and other federal statutes impacting bank and servicing risks.