Whitsitt Named President of Aisin World Corp. of America

Industry veteran becomes first American president of growing Tier One

PLYMOUTH, Mich., July 10 -- Aisin World Corp. of America (AWA), one of North America's leading Tier One automotive components suppliers, today announced that Don Whitsitt has been named president. The announcement was made at the company's board meeting last month. Whitsitt was also appointed to AWA's Board of Directors.

Whitsitt, a 19-year veteran of the company who was previously executive vice president, becomes the first American to head AWA, a subsidiary of Japan- based Aisin Group. AWA is responsible for OE and aftermarket sales and marketing in North America and Latin America.

Whitsitt replaces Junichi Nishimura, who returns to Japan as senior managing director of Aisin Seiki, and is now responsible for global sales. Nishimura, who was also appointed to the Aisin Seiki Board of Directors, remains a member of the AWA Board of Directors.

As president, Whitsitt is responsible for all aspects of AWA, including sales and sales-related functions for original equipment and aftermarket products, and research and development. He will also oversee the sales operation of AWA's offices in Chicago, Cincinnati and Torrance, CA, and logistics operations in Detroit, Los Angeles and Loredo, TX.

A 30-year automotive industry veteran, Whitsitt earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology from Purdue University. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Automotive Hall of Fame Board of Directors, and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association's Sales and Marketing Council. Whitsitt resides in Saline, Mich. with his wife, Claudia, and youngest daughter, Jenna.

About Aisin World Corp. of America

Based in Plymouth, Mich., AWA is a subsidiary of the Aisin Group, a $20.2 billion company headed by Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. with corporate offices in Kariya City, Aichi, Japan. The Aisin Group is a worldwide supplier of automotive components, such as brakes, transmissions, drive train, chassis, body and information-related systems and components, and engine-related parts. In North America, the Aisin Group has 28 manufacturing, R & D and sales centers, and approximately 10,000 employees.