Volkswagen of America Announces Staffing Changes

HERNDON, Va., April 16 -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that Steve Keyes, director of press and public relations will be retiring from the company effective May 1, 2010. Keyes, who has been with the company for 31 years, will serve as a consultant to the public relations team, with responsibilities for strategic planning for vehicle drives and the media-related aspects of auto shows.

"Steve is a long-time and loyal member of the Volkswagen family. We thank him for his invaluable service and love of the brand. I especially appreciate that he will continue to provide his insight and knowledge as Volkswagen prepares to launch one of our most important products for 2010, the new compact sedan," said Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America.

Keyes was appointed director press and public Relations for the Audi and Volkswagen brands in the U.S. and Canada in 1997. During his tenure he was responsible for such notable product launches such as the Audi A6, A4, TT, New Beetle and Touareg. In 2008 he and his team led the successful reintroduction of TDI technology into the market.

Keyes first began his career at Volkswagen as the district sales manager responsible for Chicago metro. Very shortly thereafter, Keyes rapidly ascended to positions in the corporate office in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. This was followed by a stint as the Audi East Coast Sales Manager located in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Keyes subsequently held numerous sales and marketing positions for both brands.