DaimlerChrysler Services North America Names James Ryan Director for Communications and Corporate Marketing

* James Ryan is appointed Director - Communications and Corporate Marketing * Stephan Koller is appointed Senior Manager - Corporate Communications and Public Relations

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., May 20 -- DaimlerChrysler Services North America announced today it has appointed James Ryan, Director - Communications and Corporate Marketing, reporting to Klaus Entenmann, President and CEO - DaimlerChrysler Services Americas. Ryan succeeds Martin Geers who was recently appointed Vice President - Global Communications for DaimlerChrysler Financial Services AG.

Ryan, who joined DaimlerChrysler Services in 1997, is responsible for internal communications, public relations, community relations, corporate marketing, event marketing, corporate identity and marketing communications for DaimlerChrysler Services North America and its brands.

Succeeding Ryan as Senior Manager - Corporate Communications and Public Relations is Stephan Koller. In his new position, Koller will be responsible for directing all corporate internal and external communications and community relations activities for DaimlerChrysler Services North America and its brands.

"I am convinced that these appointments will further strengthen our integrated communications approach allowing us to continue to maximize opportunities across all business units," said Entenmann.

Ryan brings with him a strong international background with experience in strategy, public affairs and communications within the automotive and financial services industries. He holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York and a master's degree from Eberhard-Karls University in Tuebingen, Germany.

About DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC

The company provides brand-specific financing for automotive dealers' inventories and their retail consumers and does business as Mercedes-Benz Credit and Chrysler Financial. As DaimlerChrysler Services Truck Finance it also finances commercial vehicles for affiliate products such as Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star. The company serves as the headquarters for operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America and Puerto Rico and has more than 5,800 employees who manage a portfolio of more than $95 billion with nearly five million contracts. DaimlerChrysler Services North America is a member of the DaimlerChrysler Financial Services group of companies. This group is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and operates in 39 countries with an employee base exceeding 11,300 and a global portfolio of approximately $139 billion. DaimlerChrysler Financial Services group is one of the leading financial services entities worldwide. For more information on DaimlerChrysler Services in the Americas visit http://www.daimlerchryslerservices.com/na .