Execs to Explore The Next Four Years at Automotive News New American Manufacturing Conference, April 9 - 11, 2001

    NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 5 Tennessee-based Saturn Corp.
Chairman and President Cynthia Trudell and Bridgestone/Firestone CEO, Chairman
and President John Lampe are among more than a dozen manufacturing industry
leaders addressing the 2001 Automotive News New American Manufacturing
Conference (NAMC).  The event is slated for April 9 - 11 at the Renaissance
Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.
    "Your Next Four Years" is the theme of the fourth annual conference
sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
(ECD), Deloitte & Touche/Deloitte Consulting and the University of Tennessee.
The program will address the growing importance of Tennessee and the entire
Southern Automotive Corridor to the global auto sector and explore key issues
affecting manufacturers, global sourcing, pricing and other aspects of the
international automotive industry.
    The event attracts hundreds of manufacturing experts and top managers of
the industry's leading automakers and the OEMs, suppliers, financial service
firms and trade associations that support them.
    "We are pleased that Automotive News has chosen Tennessee once again as
host-state for the New American Manufacturing Conference," said ECD
Commissioner Alex Fischer.  "With three auto and truck assembly plants and
more than 800 automotive industry suppliers calling Tennessee home, we look
forward to sharing our state's many pro-business advantages with NAMC
conference attendees."
    The three-day NAMC agenda includes:
    *  individual speaker presentations and a panel discussion;
    *  The Gala Dinner Tues., April 10;
    *  networking opportunities; and
    *  a tour of Dell Computer's Nashville plant.

    In addition to Trudell and Lampe, Deloitte Consulting Partner Paul
Wellener will present "Digital Loyalty Networks", an in-depth analysis of
leveraging Internet technologies to integrate supply chain and customer
relationship management for automotive manufacturers.
    The 2001 Automotive News New American Manufacturing Conference will also
feature individual presentations by:
    *  Don Walker, president and CEO, Magna International Inc.
    *  Dennis Pawley, founder, the Lean Learning Center
    *  Ken Kreafle, general manager, Quality Control & Quality Engineering,
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.
    *  Jim Carleton, director, e-Extended Enterprise, DaimlerChrysler Corp.
    *  Joe Bione, partner, Deloitte Consulting

    "Your Next 48 Months: Looking Ahead," a wide-ranging panel discussion,
will offer perspectives on such issues as e-commerce, product development, the
valuation of auto stocks, trends in consolidation and streamlining the supply
chain.  Sharing their views will be:
    *  James Orchard, president & CEO, ZF Group NAO
    *  Cherri Musser, chief information officer, eGM, General Motors Corp.
    *  Scott Merlis, managing director, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein
    *  Hirohide Ikeno, president, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
    *  Lisa Caldwell, automotive principal, Deloitte Consulting

    The registration fee for the New American Manufacturing Conference is $495
before March 23 and $545 after that date.  A special registration rate is also
available for Tennessee suppliers.  Online registration is available at
http://www.autonews.com/events.htm .  For a complete agenda or to register by phone,
call 877-576-9933.
    Hosting the 2001 NAMC reinforces Tennessee's prominence in the automotive
industry.  Tennessee leads the South and is fourth in the nation in car
production.  One-third of all U.S.-made cars and lightweight trucks are
manufactured within 350 miles of Nashville.
    Automotive News is a newsweekly that provides in-depth coverage of the
auto industry and is written for OEMs, their franchised dealers and suppliers.
Automotive News employs 50 reporters and editors in Detroit, Mich.
headquarters and bureau offices in New York; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles;
Nashville; London and Tokyo.
    Automotive News is the industry's only 100 percent paid publication, with
circulation exceeding 81,000.  The newsweekly is published by Crain
Communications, which publishes more than 33 titles including Automotive News
Europe and Automotive News International.