CTS. SS. V. All of those letters could fill chapters in the story of Mark Reuss’ career. The current executive vice president of Global Product Development and Global Purchasing and Supply Chain for GM has been intimately involved in the production of the Cadillac CTS, SS Chevys, and V-Series Caddys.
According to General Motors, “Reuss created and led the GM Performance Division in 2001 while serving as executive director of Architecture Engineering. In this role, he also was responsible for GM’s racing vehicles including the V-Series Cadillacs and SS Chevrolets.” While Reuss was the President of General Motors North America (2009-2013), his company produced Cadillac’s popular mid-size sedan.
This weekend, Reuss will have more characters to add to his legacy: Z06. He’ll be driving the pace car version of the 650-horsepower Corvette at the two Chevrolet Dual in Detroit races this Saturday and Sunday, May 30-31. He shouldn’t have any problem handling the Arctic White and Adrenaline Red super-‘Vette (complete with special graphics and safety strobes) because he’s a certified industry pool test driver on the North Course of the Nürburgring and licensed for Grand-Am racing.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
