Effler Appointed Public Relations Manager, West; Resnick Appointed Public Relations Manager, East for MBUSA

MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 6 -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) announced appointments to two newly created positions effective immediately: Geno Effler to public relations manager, west, and Jim Resnick to public relations manager, east. Both positions report to Scott Keogh, general manager, corporate communications, and are intended to enhance the effectiveness of MBUSA's interface with the media on regional levels as MBUSA's regional communications managers re-focus their initiatives on regional consumer events, advertising, and marketing.

Geno Effler will support all corporate communications initiatives and media relations for the western regional offices (the geographic areas covered by MBUSA's regional offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco). Effler brings over 23 years of public relations experience to MBUSA, the past nine of which he served as director of public relations for Kia Motors America. For five years prior to that, he held various positions for automotive clients at public relations agencies, such as Hill & Knowlton, Inc. He holds a bachelor of arts in communications from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, numerous automotive press associations and the CSUF Alumni Association. Effler will be based out of MBUSA's Los Angeles regional office.

Supporting all corporate communications initiatives and media relations for the eastern U.S. regional offices (the geographic areas covered by MBUSA's regional offices in New York; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; and Jacksonville, FL), Jim Resnick will be based at the company's Montvale, N.J., headquarters. Resnick has been product and technology public relations specialist for Mercedes-Benz USA since joining the company in 1999. Previously, he served in various positions, such as photographer, technical editor, road test editor and editor-in-chief, at several automotive publications on the East Coast and in California. Resnick holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Hartford (Conn.).