Continental Names Kathryn Blackwell as Vice President of Communications for NAFTA

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 24 -- Continental has appointed Kathryn Blackwell as Vice President of Communications and Marketing for its NAFTA Region. Blackwell comes to the company with almost 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing in the transportation sector, with the majority of that time spent working within the automotive industry.

In her new position with Continental, Blackwell is responsible for public relations, employee communications, marketing communications and market research for Continental's three automotive divisions in North America and for corporate communications for the Continental Tire and ContiTech Division operations in North America.

Blackwell joins Continental from Union Pacific Railroad, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, where she was Assistant Vice President, Corporate Communications. In that position, her responsibilities included developing the strategic direction for all aspects of public relations, employee communications, as well as the development and implementation of a national brand advertising campaign.

While in the automotive industry, Blackwell spent three years with DaimlerChrysler in the Public Relations and Marketing departments. She began her automotive career with Ford Motor Company where she held a variety of positions within the Public Affairs department, including a three-year assignment with Ford Europe.

Blackwell received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communications from the University of Michigan and her Master of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

With targeted annual sales of more than euro 26.4 billion for 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Today, the corporation employs approximately 150,000 people at nearly 200 locations in 36 countries.

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