Management Briefing Seminars Announces Additional Speakers

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 30 -- Automotive suppliers face a number of challenges in the global marketplace and insight into how successful firms thrive under these conditions will be part of the agenda at the 2006 Management Briefing Seminars, Aug. 7, 2006-11 in Traverse City, Mich.

This annual event, hosted by the Ann Arbor-based Center for Automotive Research, has been an industry tradition for 40 years and attracts more than 1,000 executives from manufacturers and suppliers.

Of special interest is a session titled "The Globalization of the Supply Base: Concentration, Competition, and Competitive Advantage." Offered in cooperation with the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, the session includes Bo Andersson, GM's vice president of global purchasing; George Perry, president and CEO of Yazaki North America; and Julio Caspari, president, ZF Group, NAO.

"The rapid growth of worldwide automotive sales and production has made it very difficult for even the largest automotive suppliers to compete on a global basis," said Sean McAlinden, CAR chief economist and co-chair of the session. "OEMs, too, have felt the strain of attempting to operate global purchasing systems. Can companies compete effectively everywhere at the same time across such diverse markets? Our session will address this challenge with a combined panel of representatives from some of the largest global firms in the market today and the leading consultants."

This week-long series of seminars, the largest automotive management conference in the world, will also feature Eric Ridenour, COO of the Chrysler Group; Dick Dauch, CEO of American Axle; John Krafcik, vice president of strategic planning and product development, Hyundai Motor America; and Jim Morton, senior vice president of Nissan North America.

CAR, the seminars' sponsor, conducts research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, as well as organizes and presents forums of value to the automotive community.

Early registration for the 2006 Management Briefing Seminars is available by calling (734) 662-1287 or visiting http://www.cargroup.org/ . For more information regarding MBS registration, as well as exhibit and sponsorship opportunities, contact Lisa Hart at (734) 929-0465, lhart@cargroup.org or visit http://www.cargroup.org/ .