Gentex Promotes Hamblin to Vice President

ZEELAND, Mich., April 29 -- Gentex Corporation , the world's leading supplier of automatic- dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry, has promoted Connie M. Hamblin to Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications. She remains the Corporate Secretary of the Company.

Hamblin joined Gentex in 1991 and started the Company's investor relations department. She currently oversees corporate communications, including investor relations, public/media relations, advertising and automotive marketing support.

Prior to joining Gentex, Hamblin spent seven years at a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based public relations counseling firm, where she was a senior investor relations account executive. She managed the Gentex Corporation account for four years. She also served five years in the public relations division of Ada, Michigan-based Amway Corporation (parent company is Alticor).

Hamblin received her bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State University, and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Society of Automotive Analysts, the National Investor Relations Institute and the National Association of Investors Corporation. She resides in Holland, Michigan.

"Connie has led Gentex's investor relations program for nearly 15 years," said Garth Deur, Gentex executive vice president. "She's earned the respect of Wall Street, which is a critical ingredient to our success as a publicly held company. This promotion reflects how much the organization values her contributions."

In June of 2000, Hamblin was honored by automotive analysts when she was featured in Automotive News, the auto industry's leading trade publication, as one of the industry's top investor relations officers.

Gentex Corporation (The Nasdaq Stock Market: GNTX) is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market. The Company develops, manufactures and markets proprietary electro-optic products, including interior and exterior electrochromic, automatic-dimming Night Vision Safety(TM) (NVS(R)) automotive rearview mirrors that dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps, and an extensive line of fire protection products for commercial applications.

Gentex was the first company in the world to successfully develop and produce a commercial electrochromic mirror for the motor vehicle industry. The Company is the leading supplier of these mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry. Gentex OEM customers include Bentley, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda/Acura, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia Motors, Mitsubishi, Nissan/Infiniti, Opel, Renault Samsung, Rover, Rolls Royce, SsangYong Motors, Toyota/Lexus and Volkswagen/Audi. Gentex accessory customers include Gulf States Toyota Distributors, Mito Corporation, Southeast Toyota Distributors, Subaru Distributors NE and Toyota Motor Sales USA.

Founded in 1974, Gentex operates out of four facilities in Zeeland, Michigan; an automotive sales office in Livonia, Michigan; automotive sales and engineering subsidiaries in Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, France and Korea; and four regional U.S. sales offices for the Fire Protection Products Group. The Company is recognized for its quality products, its application of world class manufacturing principles, for its commitment to developing and maintaining a highly skilled workforce, and for encouraging employee ownership of the Company's stock.

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