Siemens Automotive Hires Benton as Vice President of Human Resources

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 14 -- Siemens VDO Automotive Corp. today announced Julie Benton has joined the company as Vice President of Human Resources. She now is responsible for all human resources initiatives for the company in the United States.

Based at Siemens VDO Automotive's North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., Benton will replace Lori Conen who will join Siemens Corp. as Director of Executive Development and Leadership.

Prior to joining Siemens VDO Automotive, Benton held various management positions over the past 17 years at Siemens' Osram Sylvania company in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Before Osram Sylvania, Benton worked in Human Resources at GTE Sylvania Products. She brings an extensive background of global manufacturing labor relations to Siemens VDO Automotive.

Benton earned a bachelor's degree in Labor Relations & Human Resources from Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pa.

Siemens AG , headquartered in Munich, is a leading global electronics and engineering company. It employs more than 450,000 people in 193 countries and reported worldwide sales in excess of $72.7 billion in fiscal 2001 (10/1/00 - 9/30/01).

The United States is Siemens' largest market, with 77,000 employees and sales of more than $18.9 billion in fiscal 2001. Siemens is a leading provider of advanced technology solutions in the information and communications, medical, power, automation and control, transportation and lighting sectors, and leverages its global network of innovation and unparalleled technological heritage to deliver business results for Siemens' customers around the globe. For more information about Siemens in the U.S., go to www.usa.siemensvdo.com .

Siemens VDO Automotive is a tier-one supplier of automotive and electronical-electrical systems and components with applications covering gasoline and diesel powertrain systems, safety and chassis systems, body electronics and interior and infotainment. Worldwide sales in fiscal year 2000/2001 totaled $5.0 billion.