The Shoe Drops - Change in Chrysler Group Communications

* Jason Vines to lead company's Communications organization * Ken Levy to start private PR consulting business in New York City

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 18 -- The Chrysler Group today announced a change in the Company's Communications organization. Jason Vines has been named Vice President - Communications, succeeding Kenneth A. Levy, who is leaving the company after three years as the head of communications in order to start his own public relations and communications consulting business in his native New York City.

Vines, 43, will report to Chrysler Group President and CEO Dieter Zetsche.

"Jason Vines has a proven track record of being in the forefront of creative communications in our industry, and we are very pleased that he is joining our executive team," said Zetsche. "We will be counting on his leadership of our communications efforts going forward, as we launch nine new products in 2004."

Zetsche added, "We wish Ken Levy all the best in his new endeavors in New York, and thank him for his professional expertise and tireless leadership of the communications team during our company's turnaround years."

Levy, 55, has been in public relations and communications in the international auto industry since 1977. He joined DaimlerChrysler as Chrysler Group's Vice President - Communications in November 2000, after having been in the European auto industry with Ford and General Motors for more than 20 years.

Vines is a 20-year automotive industry veteran who first joined Chrysler in 1983. He held several labor relations and communications positions, including serving as head of product and brand public relations, before leaving the company in 1998. While at Chrysler, Vines served as "executive on loan" for three years to the American Automobile Manufacturers' Association, where he reported to then-president Andrew Card.

He left Chrysler in 1998 to become Vice President of Public Relations and later Vice President of External Affairs in charge of public relations and government affairs for Nissan North America. While there, he was named an Automotive News "all star" in public relations for the automotive industry in 1999.

Vines joined Ford Motor Company in February 2000 as Vice President - Communications. In that role, he led the external and internal communications for Ford and its Premier Automotive Group brands worldwide. He joined Strat@comm, a leading Washington-based public affairs firm in January 2002, where he served as partner and managing director of the Detroit-area office.

Vines and his wife, Betsy, reside in Franklin, Michigan with their three children.