OREANDA-NEWS. April 24, 2015. The Greenville Tech Foundation will host internationally renowned automotive executive Carlos Ghosn at its signature workforce development fundraiser event on Nov. 16, 2015. Mr. Ghosn is the Chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, one of the world's largest automotive groups.

Mr. Ghosn is chairman and chief executive officer of France's Renault and Japan's Nissan Motor and he is also the Chairman of Russia's largest automaker, AVTOVAZ. He joined Nissan as chief operating officer in 1999, became its president in 2000 and CEO in 2001. He was the lead architect of the Nissan Revival Plan, which brought the company out of a severe economic crisis in the late '90s and back to profitability in 2000.

In 2005, Mr. Ghosn became CEO of Renault – becoming the first person to run two Fortune Global 500 companies simultaneously. He has been the auto industry's leading advocate for sustainable transportation; Renault and Nissan are the first automakers to have launched a range of affordable zero-emission cars and commercial vehicles. Through 2014, the Alliance companies had sold more than 217,000 electric vehicles – exceeding the total of all other major automakers combined.

In addition to his corporate roles, Mr. Ghosn serves as president of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

Mr. Ghosn is well-known locally for his previous leadership at Michelin North America. He served as chairman and chief executive officer at Michelin North America from 1989 to 1996 and lived in Greenville during that time.

"We are honored to host someone as innovative and accomplished as Mr. Ghosn," said Bob Howard, president of the Greenville Tech Foundation. "His business insights and industry expertise will make for a fascinating discussion on workforce development. As a previous resident of the Upstate, Mr. Ghosn is uniquely prepared to discuss the importance of workforce development internationally, and what we are doing right in Greenville."

The Greenville Tech Foundation was created to support Greenville Technical College as it builds programs to educate and train the new workforce in the Upstate. In previous years, the Foundation has celebrated entrepreneurs with an annual gala honoring community business leaders who have helped transform Greenville into the thriving business community it is today. As the economy has changed in the Upstate, the Foundation chose to restructure its signature event to focus on the importance of developing a skilled labor pool. Effective this year, the event will be known as the Workforce Development Salute.

To celebrate the new direction of the event, the Greenville Tech Foundation is excited to host an internationally recognized business leader who can speak to the evolution of the automotive industry and also has a unique perspective on the importance of developing a skilled workforce worldwide. As recognition of his accomplishments, Mr. Ghosn was recently named one of the 50 leading business pioneers of all time by the Financial Times.

"I'm looking forward to returning to Greenville to address the Greenville Tech Foundation and support its excellent work," Mr. Ghosn said. "I have many great memories of the years spent in South Carolina, and it is good to see the progress that is being made to develop the region's economy and workforce."

The Workforce Development Salute will be held on November 16, 2015 at 6 p.m. at the TD Convention Center. Please contact Bob Howard at the Greenville Tech Foundation for more information regarding event sponsorships or tickets at bob.howard@gvltec.edu or (864) 250-8719.

About Greenville Tech Foundation
Greenville Tech Foundation, Inc., established in 1973, is a non-profit corporation separate from Greenville Technical College but operating for the benefit of the college. Greenville Tech Foundation provides financial support to the college and students beyond that which can be obtained from state and local funding sources. The Foundation is governed by a board of directors comprised of recognized Greenville County leaders in business, industry and other professions.