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Jason Vines, 55, is an independent communications and government affairs consultant specializing in crisis management, reputation management, brand rehabilitation, product launch and automotive issues. Vines has counseled General Motors on issues surrounding the Chevy Volt, the U.S. Government divestiture of GM stock, the revival of GM's European operations and other corporate and product issues, including the recent recall conundrum regarding the ignition switch issue. In addition, Vines has been involved with public policy issues regarding the electrification of the nation's automobile fleet. He has also counseled a chemical client in reputational restoration, a major Native American tribe currently under attack by various agencies inside the federal U.S. Government and the U.S. auto dealers' national association.
A hardcover edition of his critically-acclaimed first book, "What Did Jesus Drive?: Crisis PR in Cars, Computers and Christianity" is being released July 4, 2015 by Waldorf Publishing. His second book, "Jimmy Hoffa Called My Mom a Bitch!: Profiles in Stupidity," will be released in hardcover November 15, 2015.
Vines served as the top communications professional for three automakers - Nissan North America, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Group -- between 1998 and 2008. He was named "Top PR Professional" in the automotive industry in 1999, 2005 and 2006 by Automotive News, the industry's lead trade publication. He is credited with leading some of the most memorable product launches in the automotive industry including the Chrysler 300, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Viper, Dodge Ram and the reborn Nissan 350Z.
At Chrysler, Vines successfully led the company against allegations of sudden acceleration with the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle was exonerated by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA). Then, in 1997, amid some regulators and media predicting huge injury and fatality numbers among children coming in contact with deployed air bags, Vines help conceive and institute "The Back is Where It's At," a nationwide elementary education program encouraging children 13 and under to ride safely in the back seat. The predicted crisis never materialized as 95 percent of all schools in the country used the curriculum. It is still considered one of the most impactful passenger safety programs in U.S. history.
Vines joined Nissan in 1998 as the company was on the brink of bankruptcy and in short order helped restore their image, becoming the industry comeback story just two years later. His work resulted in his first honor from Automotive News as the best in the business.
He was recruited by Ford Motor Company in early 2000 as head of global communications. Just weeks after his arrival, the Ford/Firestone tire crisis began to simmer before turning into the biggest automotive crisis in history, pitting two 100-year-old companies in a struggle for survival. Ford was eventually exonerated by NHTSA after spending more than $4B replacing Firestone tires on its customers' vehicles after Firestone refused to replace their defective tires.
Vines is a Director-Emeritus of the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Mr. Vines received a Master's Degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University in 1984 and a B.A. with a double major in Economics and Communications/Theater from Central College in Pella, Iowa in 1982. He has been married to his wife Betsy for more than 28 years and has three children: all college graduates without college loans thanks to their parents. Subsequently, both Betsy and Jason survive each evening on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. And a shared small salad with salted water dressing; sometimes with a squirt of ketchup stolen from a local McDonald's added to break things up.
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