Premier Automotive Group to Form New Diversity Advisory Council

IRVINE, Calif., April 8 -- Premier Automotive Group -- an enterprise of Ford Motor Company -- is forming a new diversity advisory council to cover its four European marques (Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo). The new unified council is replacing the previously separate councils for Jaguar and Volvo and provides Aston Martin and Land Rover with their first diversity advisory committee. Lincoln will continue with its own dedicated advisory council.

The new council is to be chaired by Julian Bond, Chairman of the board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) with Vic Doolan, Executive Director, Premier Automotive Group, leading representation from the four European marques. In total, the new council will have 10 external members, representing a wide range of diverse audiences.

``Following the progress made by the independent Jaguar and Volvo diversity advisory councils, I am pleased that Premier Automotive Group has continued to recognize the importance of its diverse consumer base in this country,'' said Julian Bond, Chairman of the Premier Automotive Group Diversity Advisory Council. ``We are seeing a rapid change in consumer demographics in this country and it is important that organizations like the Premier Automotive Group recognize the value in doing business with a much more diverse consumer base than ever before.''

The new council will advise the four European marques on a wide variety of business issues including marketing, advertising, human resources and franchise development.

Vic Doolan, Executive Director, Premier Automotive Group said, ``We have been pleased with the progress made through the Jaguar and Volvo advisory councils but realized that we needed to extend our reach to cover all of our European marques. We also see great opportunities in accelerating the pace of diversity, in accordance with the dynamic development of the U.S. population,'' continued Doolan.

In 1998, Jaguar became the first company within Premier Automotive Group to establish a diversity advisory council. Volvo established a similar council in 1999. In the fall of 2001, Premier Automotive Group established its new North American headquarters in Irvine, CA which helped to bring together the five marques within the group and the subsequent decision to form a new advisory council that would assist the four European marques.

The external members are: Julian Bond Chairman, NAACP Susan Au Allen President, US Plan Asian American Chamber of Commerce

Charles Barrett Principle, Barrett Jaguar Land Rover Volvo

Anna Escobedo Cabral President & CEO, Hispanic Assoc. on Corporate

Responsibility

Earl B. (Butch) Graves President & CEO, Black Enterprise Magazine

Christy Haubegger Founder, Board Member, Latina Magazine

Randi Payton President & CEO, On Wheels, Inc.

Jeff Shiraki Vice President, Hay Management Consultants

Sheila Vaden Williams President, National Association of Minority

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