Siemens Shared Services' Jim McCarthy Named Fleet Manager of the Year

Wheels, Inc. Spotlights Award Announcement

DES PLAINES, Ill., April 20 -- Wheels, Inc., in partnership with Automotive Fleet Magazine and the Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association (AFLA) today announced that Jim McCarthy, Director Vehicle Management Services for Siemens Shared Services, LLC, has been named Automotive Fleet Magazine's 2005 Fleet Manager of the Year.

The award recognizes McCarthy's outstanding achievements in developing fleet strategies and implementing management policies for U.S. and Canadian operating companies of Siemens AG, a worldwide electronics and engineering leader. It was presented on April 10 at an event sponsored by Bobit Business Media during the FMI/National Assoc. of Fleet Administrators Conference held in Dallas.

McCarthy and a 15-person team are responsible for managing fleets of more than 14,000 vehicles for 23 Siemens operating companies in multiple industries. The companies have diverse budgets, requirements and cultures, presenting a distinctive and complex set of challenges. McCarthy developed a unique strategic approach to fleet management that enables him and his team to fulfill each client's requirements while contributing to Siemens' ability to gain economies of scale and operate more efficiently on a global level.

Presenting the award was Jim Frank, President of Wheels, Inc. Frank complimented McCarthy on his ability to sell-in the concept of shared-sourcing and gain buy-in from numerous operating companies that had previously managed and sourced their own fleets. "Jim McCarthy had the vision and insight to recognize the value of bringing a strategic perspective to fleet management and continually delivers measurable results to provide the value of professional vehicle management services to each group. He has set the standards for the level of expertise and foresight needed for this new era of fleet management."

In accepting the award, McCarthy praised his team of 15 internal Account Managers who are charged with delivering measurable cost savings while also bringing new initiatives to fruition throughout the organization. McCarthy said, "I really feel the award should be called the 'Fleet Department of the Year', because it is truly a team effort." He continued, "The success of our program also is rooted in the day-to-day management and strategic guidance provided by the entire Wheels Organization who help us meet the individual requirements of Siemens' many fleets."

Nominees for Fleet Manager of the Year must be full-time fleet managers who are recognized nationally among their peers for their unique abilities and accomplishments and who direct a company-owned or leased fleet of more than 100 trucks and cars. The judging panel includes 27 members of various corporations representing all areas of fleet.

About Wheels, Inc.

Wheels, Inc. ( www.wheels.com ), which pioneered the concept of auto leasing in 1939, provides a full range of specialized services to help corporations manage their vehicle fleets. Wheels has 550 employees and manages more than 240,000 vehicles. Its holding company, Frank Consolidated Enterprises, currently ranks as one of the largest private companies in the United States, with nearly $2 billion in annual sales. For additional information, please contact info@wheels.com .

About Siemens AG

Siemens AG is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $91.5 billion in fiscal 2004. Founded more than 150 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $16.6 billion and employs 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Thirteen of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 430,000 people in 192 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com .

Bobit Business Media

Bobit Business Media was founded in 1961 with the launching of Automotive Fleet in Glenview, Ill. For over 40 years, the company has grown to publishing over 20 various trade publications covering five different markets in the areas of automotive, ground transportation, automotive aftermarket, protection, and beauty. Bobit's extensive industry coverage continues through the hosting of 10 trade shows and conferences and over 30 web sites. For more information visit www.bobit.com .

About AFLA

The Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association (AFLA) was founded in 1969 with the objective of becoming a forum for improving communication and providing opportunity for the exchange of information and ideas between related segments of the fleet industry. Over the last 36 years, AFLA has consistently served as an advanced forum for fleet professionals.