Steven Bieda Named Chairman of MotorCities National Heritage Area

DETROIT, April 9, 2008 -- The Honorable Steven Bieda, State Representative from Michigan's 25th district, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for MotorCities National Heritage Area (MotorCities) for the 2008 term. Dean Greb, former sales executive at ArvinMeritor, was elected Treasurer and Claudia Killeen, Manager, Economic Development for General Motors Corporation, Secretary. Several new members were named to the MotorCities Leadership Council including George Zimmerman, Vice President of Travel Michigan, and Doug Rothwell, President of Detroit Renaissance.

"My family goes back four generations in the auto industry so I think I have a real appreciation of what the industry means to the region," said Bieda. "It's in my blood. MotorCities' charter of preserving and promoting the industry's heritage is right in line with my own interests in doing the same thing. I'm thrilled to be part of the effort and look forward to helping MotorCities tell the story."

MotorCities National Heritage Area is an affiliate of the National Park Service dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting the automotive and labor heritage of the State of Michigan. Encompassing 10,000 square miles in southeastern and central Michigan, the region has been the center of automotive invention and production for over a century. The programs and activities of MotorCities are designed to increase tourism throughout the State of Michigan; develop and deploy educational and informational programs that tell the story of the American automobile industry and labor in our region; and encourage revitalization through conservation.

One of MotorCities' significant initiatives is "2008: Year of the Car", a summer-long auto-tourism festival to celebrate the centennial of General Motors Corporation and of the Ford Model T. Year of the Car will offer residents and tourists an unprecedented palette of auto-themed attractions throughout the summer.

It launches in conjunction with National Transportation Week on May 10, 2008 and concludes five months later with the Automotive Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies in early October. In between, Year of the Car links more than 100 activities at nearly 60 different locations, giving residents and tourists many never-before-offered automotive experiences.

About MotorCities

The programs and activities of the MotorCities National Heritage Area are designed to increase tourism throughout the State of Michigan; develop and deploy educational and informational programs that tell the story of the automobile industry and labor in our region; and encourage revitalization through conservation. MotorCities was designated by Congress in 1998 and is currently one of 37 National Heritage Areas in the United States. For more information, please visit www.motorcities.org.