Lear Executive Jim Comer Honored by President Bush for Community Service

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 11, 2005 -- Lear Corporation is proud to announce that Jim Comer, president of North American Joint Ventures and Diversity, was honored by President George W. Bush with the President's Volunteer Service Award during the President's visit to Detroit this week.

The award was established by President George W. Bush in his 2002 State of the Union address to recognize individuals, groups and families who have met or exceeded requirements for volunteer service and have demonstrated exemplary citizenship through volunteering. In his 2005 inaugural address, President Bush again urged citizens to enjoy the great freedoms of America and take away the lesson of helping somebody in need "to make our country a better place."

Comer, 57, has been an active volunteer in the community his entire career, with an emphasis on nurturing children. He has served as an active volunteer of VIP Mentoring for the past three years and last year launched an innovative summer program at Lear's corporate headquarters in Southfield, Michigan to introduce young people to the business world and involve them in community service.

"Research shows that mentoring is the most effective way to have a positive influence on 'at-risk' kids," said Comer. "Our younger generation is the key to the future, and all it takes to make an impact is a few hours per week."

The mission of Detroit-based VIP Mentoring is to encourage and support the development of community justice programs which include one-to-one mentoring of children of an incarcerated parent with trained volunteers to help enable participants to become more educated, productive and self-sufficient members of the community.

In 2003, Comer was named by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC). The MCSC oversees programs such as Mentor Michigan, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve. Last year, Comer was a finalist for the Detroit Lions' William Clay Ford Community Quarterback Award which recognizes outstanding local volunteers.

"We are fortunate to have an abundance of compassionate employees at Lear Corporation that volunteer in our communities and generously help others in need," said Bob Rossiter, Lear chairman and chief executive officer. "Jim Comer is a shining example of someone that finds those in need, especially children, and steps in to help out. Jim is an outstanding individual who unselfishly reaches out to his community to address the needs of a broad and diverse population."

Lear Corporation, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Southfield, Mich., USA, focuses on integrating complete automotive interiors, including seat systems, interior trim and electrical systems. With annual net sales of $17 billion in 2004, Lear is one of the world's largest automotive interior systems suppliers. The company's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by more than 110,000 employees in 34 countries. Further information about Lear and its products is available on the internet at http://www.lear.com/ .

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