ECD Chairman Bob Stempel Honored by ASME International With the Society's Soichiro Honda Medal

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., Nov. 15 -- Robert C. Stempel, Chairman, Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) , was honored by ASME International (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers) at ASME's 2001 International Mechanical Engineering Congress, which is being held in New York City. He was recognized for his technical and business leadership in the automobile industry and his major role in the development of the catalytic converter, high-energy nickel metal hydride battery and other vehicle technologies ensuring environmental safety and performance. The Society's Soichiro Honda Medal was awarded to Mr. Stempel last evening at the Honors Assembly.

The Soichiro Honda Medal, established in 1983, recognizes an individual for an outstanding achievement or a series of significant engineering contributions in developing improvements in the field of personal transportation. Stempel is a Life Fellow of the ASME, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

In addition to the development of many automotive firsts while at General Motors, the award noted that ``in his current position as chairman of ECD, an energy and information company, Stempel continues to contribute to the automotive industry. ECD and its subsidiary, Ovonic Battery Company, developed the nickel-metal hydride battery, a powerful and environmentally safe battery widely used in consumer electronic products. It is now being introduced as the power source for electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. ECD, using its amorphous materials technology, has also developed solid hydrogen storage systems, fuel cells with non-noble metal catalysts, and flexible, thin-film photovoltaic products.''

During his acceptance remarks, Bob Stempel said, ``I am proud to receive the Honda Medal for my automotive work. Mr. Honda developed many vehicle and engine firsts and established a culture of 'the Honda Way' making each change introduced in production an improvement. I am also pleased the award committee recognized my work with ECD and Ovonic Battery to advance alternate fuel technologies to further improve vehicle efficiency and reduce pollution.''

ECD is the leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development of advanced production technology and innovative products. It has pioneered and developed enabling technologies leading to new products and production processes based on amorphous, disordered and related materials, with an emphasis on advanced information technologies and alternative energy, including photovoltaics, fuel cells, hydride batteries and hydride storage materials capable of storing hydrogen in the solid state for use as a feed stock for fuel cells or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement or replacement for any type of hydrocarbon fuel. ECD designs and builds manufacturing machinery that incorporates its proprietary production processes, maintains ongoing research and development programs to continually improve its products and develops new applications for its technologies. ECD holds the basic patents in its fields. ECD's web site address is http://www.ovonic.com .