10 The Hampton Roads Messenger Business


Modern Renaissance Man: Hyundai’s Newest Executive, Erwin Raphael


The general manager is the U.S. head of Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis. BY ALLISON KEYES


Erwin Raphael,


the new U.S. general manager for Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis,


challenges,


specializes whether


manufacturing,


in in


sales,


math—or handling lions. “It’s a lot easier to


train a lion than give life to a lamb,” Raphael says, quoting one of his many mentors.


He’s talking about


dealing with an employee he describes as being “on fire,” a person who just rushes off and begins making changes before thinking things through. But Raphael notes that in some companies, people about


are their unclear responsi-


bilities and nothing gets done. At Chrysler’s foundry plant in Indianapolis in 2001, he learned from African-American plant manager Bob Bowers to harness that level of energy in a way that moves things along.


“You’re much better off with


someone on fire than someone who doesn’t want to do anything. So when I have someone like that, I focus on what I need, and let … the lion do what it needs to do,” Raphael explains, expounding on a lesson that he says he learned then and still uses today. “You’ve got to assign responsibility and accountability to everything—that is key. … Make sure there is a single person responsible for moving each needle … and that person needs to know they are responsible. Once you have that, people get things done.”


That philosophy defines the career of Raphael, a man who has gotten things done with organizations and companies ranging from Ohio’s Environmental Protection


Agency


to Toyota Motor Manufacturing and Chrysler. Born on the Caribbean island of Dominica and raised on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the 49-year-old is a focused, driven executive with a wide range of interests and talents. He plays piano and guitar, and the married father of two is an active member of Saddleback Church, a diverse house of worship in Orange County, Calif.


“My personal faith is very


important to me and my family. We are strong Christians,” Raphael says, “ but as such, we realize our job is to love people and look out for the best interests of people. Not one race or another race.”


Diversity has been a focus for


Raphael going all the way back to his first job out of college at Ohio State University. Later, at Ohio’s EPA, he started out developing models used for forecasting pollution and what would happen with pollution in water.


“We had an ad hoc small group of


African Americans. We just took care of each other,” Raphael remembers. “Whenever there was a new African American, we would put our arms around them to show them the ropes,


and help them assimilate better.” Raphael says he has had many


mentors throughout his career, both black and white, including renowned Anaheim, Calif., businessman Francis Price and DaimlerChrysler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche. Their backing is one of the driving forces behind his deep involvement with diversity issues.


“I look at diversity as a part of me and who I am because I really see value,” Raphael explains. “Forget about whether the company sees the value of diversity. I look at it as giving something back. I’ve had so many mentors for mentors who helped me because of their passion for helping a young black kid—a kid they could see their son in.”


But he says companies should


take note of how being more diverse can be a boon to their bottom line.


“Whether at Toyota or Chrysler


or Hyundai, that’s been important,” Raphael muses. “Forget about being politically


challenge and everybody on the team has one perspective,


correct. If you attack a you’ll be less


successful than if you have people with different points of view.”


Raphael is a founding member of


Hyundai’s diversity council, which is chaired by CEO Dave Zurchowski.


“When we selected people to serve, we made sure we had people that were very diverse, blacks, whites, Asians, Muslims,


Christians and


LGBT,” says Raphael. The company started employee resource groups for Hispanics, women, LGBT, veterans and blacks, which each have a sponsor on the larger council. Raphael says that the decision to use the term “black” instead of “African American” was deliberate.


“Roughly speaking, 13 percent of black people aren’t


African


American; they are from Africa and the Caribbean,” he explains.


Raphael says that Hyundai has


been doing a good job of increasing the number of people of color at the company, and a recent review showed that every year over the past six, it has


improved its numbers both inside the company and with dealerships.


“We’re still underweighted with black people, on the Hispanic side and with women,” he says.


But Hyundai’s 2016 Super Bowl ad, “First Date,” rated No. 1 by USA Today’s Ad Meter, featured a 100 percent


black cast. Starring


actor-comedian Kevin Hart, it tells the story of a father loaning his daughter’s date his Hyundai, then hilariously following them around on the date.


“We weren’t aiming that at the African-American


community; we


were aiming at America,” Raphael explains. “People rarely mention that anyone in the commercial was black. People either saw themselves as the daughter, or people connected with the dad. It was able to put the black family front and center.”


strategic


Raphael’s new job involves the direction and management


of Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, in the U.S., including sales and


marketing. The U.S. Army veteran will oversee the introduction of the new, large luxury sedan, the Genesis G90, this summer. He says the sedan will be very competitive with the Mercedes S-Class and the BMW 7 Series. The company is also launching a Genesis G80, which will be in the same class as the BMW 5 Series and the Lexus GS.


competitive


“The price will be very in


those segments,”


Raphael says coyly. “We’re launching a new brand and going right at the heart of the establishment. We have to bring our A game with the product, how we handle the customer throughout the entire process … a luxury customer has certain expectations because they spent a lot on their cars.” Sales will begin late this summer, and Raphael says he is feeling blessed.


“I love my job. I love cars,”


Raphael says. “I’m doing exactly what I want to do.”


Business Advocate Oliver Singleton Leaves a Legacy of Economic Development


Oliver Rodney Hunt Singleton of Richmond, formerly of Norfolk, VA, died on April 13, 2016. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Vernice


Singleton.


He is survived by his wife, Rose Stith Singleton;


children,


Rachel, Hunt and Christine Singleton; brothers, Walter (Lucretia) Warren


(Jackie) Chesapeake,


and of


VA;


sister, Jean Ryles of Bronx, NY; a host of nieces, nephews, five sisters-in-law; three


brothers-in-


law, other relatives and friends.


Oliver became a Christian at an early age and was an active member of St. John AME Church in Norfolk, VA until he left for the University of Virginia where he earned a BS in Philosophy and Comparative Government. While at the University of Virginia, he was the first African American inducted into the Z Society.


Oliver, also affectionally known


as Rod and Rodney, was President of The Metropolitan Business League, member Executive


Venture Richmond; former member Richmond


City Council;


Committee, former


Chair Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority; Founding Board Member, Richmond Ambulance Authority; Former Trustee Richmond Retirement System and Virginia State Foundation and Former Director, Richmond Sportsbackers.


Oliver was named to Boomer


Magazine’s 2010 Inaugural “It List” Richmonder’s Who Made a Difference; named by the United States Small Business


Administration as the


“Virginia Minority Business Champion of 2010”; presented the 2011 Economic Empowerment Award by the Richmond Branch NAACP; and appointed to three Small Business Advisory Commissions by two


Virginia Governors.


significant portion of his career was spent in the Securities and Exchange industry.


loved


Oliver was a devoted father who his family, friends, politics,


Richmond and Norfolk, VA. He was an enthusiastic jazz fan.


In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Singleton Children’s College Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank.


Volume 10 Number 9


May 2016


A


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