GM Exec Picked to Steer CU-ICAR

Clemson's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), located just outside Mauldin, has named General Motors' Frederick Cartwright as its new executive director.

Cartwright will retire at the end of the month from GM, where he currently serves as director of new business initiatives based in Detroit. He begins at CU-ICAR April 1, according to a report by GSA Business.

As South Carolina, and especially the Upstate, solidifies its position as a major player in the automotive industry, having a Motor City veteran at the helm of CU-ICAR should be a benefit as the center seeks to expand industry partnerships, grow its footprint, and continue its path to becoming a hub of innovation.

“One of the things I plan to work on is to make CU-ICAR more visible to the global transportation community, not just the automotive community,” Cartwright told GSA Business. “The broader transportation industry, or I’ll call it the mobility industry, runs a spectrum from bicycles up to trains and everything in between…. With my background, I can speak with that industry voice and help get ICAR aligned with industry so we’re working on the right things and the right partners.” 

That includes research to improve vehicle innovation, cost, efficiency and manufacturing, Cartwright told the paper. “Industry needs more efficient vehicles … There’s a need for smarter vehicles, more connected vehicles as well,” he said.

“Since opening five years ago, CU-ICAR has become an international model for economic development,” John Kelly, Clemson University vice president for economic development, said in a press release. “The campus has an enviable list of transport-related industry partners. With Fred at the helm, those relationships will only strengthen and more are sure to join.
The campus on Mauldin's outskirts has garnered more than $250 million in public and private investments and created more than 700 jobs.

“Fred’s appointment will not only further CU-ICAR’s mission, but help enhance the reputation of Upstate South Carolina as the go-to place for business,” Kelly said.

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