Killen Appointed Brand Manager, Maybach for Mercedes-Benz USA

MONTVALE, N.J., June 13 -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) announced the appointment of Wayne Killen to brand manager, Maybach, reporting to Burkhard Osthaus, general manager, product management, passenger cars, at the company's Montvale, N.J. headquarters. In this role, Killen will develop U.S. strategies and coordinate execution of the new Maybach brand and product launch scheduled for Spring 2003.

Most recently, Killen was the executive director, product marketing for Autodaq Corporation, based in Menlo Park, CA, where he developed product, marketing and operational strategies to increase Autodaq's wholesale automotive auction business with fleet holders and franchised dealer buyers.

From 1991 through 1998, Killen served at MBUSA in regional marketing and various product manager positions within the accessories, C-Class, and coupes and convertible areas, where he was responsible for product strategies, marketing and planning. Killen began his career in the automotive industry as a product planner for Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America.

Killen holds an MBA in Strategic Marketing from the University of California at Riverside and a BA degree in Rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley.