GM retiree offers worker incentive

By HOLLY SCHOENSTEIN

Retired General Motors Corp. worker adds another incentive to entice relocating workers.

WARREN — The incentives for relocating General Motors Corp. employees to settle in Warren are adding up.

Warren resident and retired GM employee John Hanick, 77, has donated $1,000 of his own money to the city, which will be distributed equally among the first four families who buy homes.

Hanick’s donation raises the total incentive amount to $1,250. Warren has already offered a $500 tax credit, and Eastwood Mall and the Regional Chamber have each offered $250 in cash.

“I want to bring some more people into the community to pay taxes to help Warren with the deficit,” Hanick said, which is about $1 million. “There are a lot of foreclosed homes in the city; there are four foreclosed homes around me, and they’re bringing down my property’s value when they’re boarded up like that. Hopefully, somebody will buy one and fix it up, or other ones in Warren.”

He retired from GM about 20 years ago.

“GM was real good to me and Helen, my wife. I enjoyed working there,” Hanick said.

Hanick joined the Lordstown GM plant as an assembler in the pilot area, where he fitted parts by hand to the frames of cars. He quickly moved up the ranks and retired as a utility man, where he supervised production line workers in the soft trim department.

Now he is challenging other GM retirees in the greater Youngstown area to match his donation of $250 or more per family, a challenge that Warren Mayor Michael O’Brien welcomes.

“It’s a fantastic example of an individual giving back not only to his community, but also giving back to future employees of General Motors,” O’Brien said.

Hanick has also been giving back to the community — and leaving his mark at the same time — by donating to other local organizations. Among the Korean War veteran’s philanthropy projects is the brick he purchased for the veterans memorial in Memorial Park downtown. His name will be inscribed on the brick, which will be part of a 40-inch wall, and at the base of the flagpole.

GM retirees who want more information on meeting Hanick’s challenge can call the mayor’s office at (330) 841-2601 for more information.

hschoenstein@vindy.com