Ken W. Cole

Ken W. Cole

"General Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner named Ken W. Cole as GM vice president for global public policy and government relations, effective April 1, 2007. Cole, who is based in Washington, D.C., is a member of GM's Automotive Strategy Board.

"Cole oversees all of GM's global government relations activities and public policy issues that impact the company, as well as ensuring their integration within GM's business operations. Cole joined GM in 2001 as vice president for government relations.

"Before joining GM, Cole served as corporate vice president of government relations for AlliedSignal, Inc., from 1983 and later with Honeywell, following the merger of the two corporations. He joined the Allied Corporation in 1981 in its Union Texas Petroleum subsidiary in Houston as vice president of Public Affairs.

"Prior to that, Cole had an eight-year career with Amoco Corporation as regional director of Public and Government Affairs. He served as southwest regional counsel for the American Insurance Association.

"Cole currently serves as a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, National Foreign Trade Council, Public Affairs Council, Council of Public Affairs Executives, European Institute, The Bryce Harlow Foundation, and Meridian House. He is past president of the Business-Government Relations Council and the National Association of Business Political Action Committees. He also serves on the government relations committees of a number of industry trade associations."

• Director, National Committee on United States-China Relations
• Trustee, Meridian International Center