VEBA trustees pick Girsky, Blanchard

Former Congressman James Blanchard, left, and senior financial analyst Stephen Girsky

One was a past Michigan governor and the other a former adviser to General Motors.

Trustees of the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) for UAW auto company retirees – formally known as the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust – have chosen Stephen J. Girsky and James J. Blanchard to serve on the GM and Chrysler boards of directors, respectively, with the consent of the UAW.

Starting Jan. 1 the Trust assumed responsibility for paying the health-care bills of GM and Chrysler Holding LLC’s retired UAW-represented workers.

Both men will get an independent vote on their respective boards.

With 20 years of automotive experience, Girsky is president of S.J. Girsky and Co., a New York advisory firm. He served as a managing director and senior analyst of Morgan Stanley’s auto research team. Girsky has been an adviser to UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and the International Executive Board. He also previously worked as an adviser to GM.

As a Michigan congressman, Blanchard was a key figure in getting Congress to approve federal loan guarantees for Chrysler Corp. in 1980. After serving as Michigan’s governor from 1983 to 1990, Blanchard was U.S. ambassador to Canada during the Clinton administration. Now a lawyer in Washington, Blanchard has wide experience in the auto industry, international trade and related issues.

Jennifer John