Aston Martin North America Announces New Brand Communications Manager

IRVINE, Calif., July 8 -- Geno Effler has been appointed Manager of Brand Communications for Aston Martin North America on July 6, 2005.

Effler, 50, brings 17 years of automotive public relations experience to the Aston Martin role. Prior to this appointment Effler spent three years handling public relations for the Mercedes-Benz and Maybach brands in the Western United States.

"Geno joins Aston Martin at a crucial time. We are experiencing some of the biggest changes in our 91-year history," said Dr. Ulrich Bez, Chairman and CEO of Aston Martin. "The North American market is the most significant for us and we have ambitious plans in the next few years and we feel that Geno's knowledge and experience will help us enormously."

From 1993, Effler spent nine years at Kia Motors America where he helped launch the Korean-based company into the U.S. The role saw Effler develop Kia's public relations activities, as well as overseeing a championship motorsports program and an award-winning consumer website.

Previously, Effler spent five years in agency roles working with clients such as Mazda, Lamborghini and Pirelli. A graduate of California State University, Fullerton, Effler spent the first nine years of his career working for the NFL (Los Angeles Rams) and the USFL (Oakland Invaders).

Effler will be based at Aston Martin North America's headquarters in Irvine, California.