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Mitsubishi Motors Expands U.S. Executive Management Team: Takashi Sonobe Promoted To President, CEO

13 August 1997

Mitsubishi Motors Expands U.S. Executive Management Team: Takashi Sonobe Promoted To President, CEO

Michio Yamashita Serves as Chairman For Marketing and Manufacturing Operations

    CYPRESS, Calif., Aug. 13 -- Coinciding with the arrival of
its new Chairman and Senior Chief Executive Officer Michio Yamashita,
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc.'s (MMSA) newly appointed President and
Chief Executive Officer Takashi Sonobe today announced several new
appointments to the company's executive management team, strengthening its
board of directors and solidifying the leadership of its North American
operations.
    Mr. Sonobe's newest role with MMSA follows an automotive career that spans
nearly 30 years, ranging from management positions within Mitsubishi Motors
Corporation (MMC) in Tokyo, to his most recent position as executive vice
president of corporate planning for MMSA.  He currently oversees the company's
overall business strategies in the North American market.  Sonobe first became
a part of Mitsubishi Motors' U.S. operations in 1985.
    Mr. Yamashita comes to MMSA after most recently serving as managing
director and corporate general manager of the office of international business
at Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), Tokyo.  He began his career with
Mitsubishi Motors at Nagoya Motor Vehicle Works, Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-
Industries, Ltd. in 1957 and later served as general manager in the Oye
Assembling Production department.  In 1991, Yamashita was appointed director
and deputy executive general manager, office of the president, for Nagoya
Motor Vehicles at MMC.  Under his new role at MMSA, he will concurrently serve
as Chairman and Senior Chief Executive officer for Mitsubishi Motor
Manufacturing of America, the company's U.S. assembly plant in Normal, Ill.
    Appointments and promotions for the company's senior Japanese executives
include Hiroshi Yajima, executive vice president, corporate planning from
general manager in the international business planning department of
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), Tokyo; Kenzo Yamada, vice president,
finance from general manager finance and controller for Mitsubishi Motor
Manufacturing of America, Inc. (MMMA); and Tsuguo Ito, vice president,
strategic planning and corporate planning from manager of the North American
marketing department for MMC.
    Sonobe noted that the new Japanese executive appointments integrate
Japanese management instead of utilizing solely advisory roles and are in
addition to the roles of MMSA's senior American management team which includes
Richard D. Recchia, executive vice president and chief operating officer for
MMSA and recently appointed executive vice president of Mitsubishi Motors of
America, Inc. (MMA); Pierre Gagnon, senior group vice president, general
operations; Ellen Gleberman, vice president and general counsel; and Kevin
Ormes, group vice president, sales and marketing.  Both Recchia and Gleberman
serve on MMSA's Board of Directors.
    According to Sonobe, Mitsubishi Motors is expanding the role of its North
American operations and is in the process of further integrating its U.S.
subsidiaries.  For example, Mr. Recchia currently serves on the Board of both
MMSA and MMMA, and will be further extending his own role to include
coordination of communications and public affairs activities for Mitsubishi
Motors' subsidiaries in the U.S. through a newly expanded MMA Washington
office.
    During the last eighteen months, Mitsubishi Motors' North American
operations have grown to include Mitsubishi Motors R & D of America, Inc.
(MRDA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Motors America, Inc. (MMA),
headquartered in Normal, Ill. with seven other facilities including a design
studio in Cypress, Calif. and testing laboratories in both Ann Arbor, Mich.,
and Cypress, Calif.
    Additionally, MMSA Distribution Services Canada, Inc., was established in
February of this year and anticipates its first sales of Mitsubishi-branded
vehicles in the Canadian market to begin in the Fall of 1998.
    Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., was established in 1982 by
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of subcompact
coupes and sedans, mid-size sedans, sports coupes and convertibles, grand
touring sports cars, luxury performance sedans and sport utility vehicles.

SOURCE  Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc.