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Featherlite Announces Management Appointments; Continued Company Growth Results in Management Team Expansion

27 October 1997

Featherlite Announces Management Appointments; Continued Company Growth Results in Management Team Expansion

   Management Team Realignment Implemented at Vantare Motorcoach Division;
      Key Management Appointments at Featherlite Headquarters Announced

    CRESCO, Iowa, Oct. 27 -- Featherlite Mfg., Inc.
, a leading manufacturer and marketer of specialty aluminum
trailers and luxury motorcoaches, today announced key executive appointments
in its Vantare luxury motorcoach division and at Featherlite's corporate
headquarters in Cresco, Iowa.
    Norm Allen has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Featherlite's
Vantare Division, assuming responsibilities that were held by Michael Guth,
Vantare's founder, prior to Featherlite's acquisition of Vantare.  Bob Basse
was named Executive Director of Administration at the company's headquarters,
and Kevin Rogers joined Featherlite as Great Lakes Territory Manager.
    Featherlite acquired the assets of Vantare International, Inc. in July
1996.  Since the acquisition, Vantare's sales have grown at an annualized rate
of 40 percent.  To meet current and anticipated demand, Vantare's
manufacturing facility in Sanford, Fla., has been increased in size by 40
percent and its administrative/service facility has been doubled in size.
    "We are very pleased with all that Mike and Marcia Guth have accomplished
in the transition of the organization that they founded to a division of
Featherlite," said Conrad Clement, chairman and chief executive officer.
"They have done a superb job in assisting all aspects of the acquisition and
in enabling us to continue the rapid growth and development of the industry's
leading luxury motorcoach manufacturer.  Importantly, they have played key
roles in enabling a new management team to take over the operations of
Vantare.  Their success in this regard now makes it possible for them to turn
over their remaining management responsibilities and begin concentrating on
customer relations and design innovation in electrical/mechanical systems,
and other product development.  These are important areas of responsibility
and Mike and Marcia are well suited to accomplishing them with excellence.  We
especially look forward to their ongoing contribution to our growth and
success through their management and development of rallies for the
Featherlite VIP Winners Circle Motorsports Club, whose members are owners of
luxury motorcoaches."
    Norm Allen, a vice president of Featherlite, has been vice president of
operations at Vantare since the acquisition.  Before transferring to the
Vantare division, Allen held executive responsibilities at Featherlite's
headquarters in Iowa.  "Norm has already accomplished a great deal since he
joined Vantare, at the time of our acquisition.  He has also played a critical
role in this successful transition and we look forward to his continued
leadership and contribution," Clement said.
    "We are also very pleased to welcome Bob Basse and Kevin Rogers to the
Featherlite team.  Bob brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the
luxury motorcoach and bus conversion business, which will be an important
asset to his new responsibilities for sales and marketing.  We look forward to
his contribution as an integral part of our executive management team.  Kevin
also brings valuable industry experience in sales and he a strong addition to
Featherlite's trailer sales team."

    About Featherlite
    Featherlite is the "Official Trailer" of NASCAR, Championship Auto Racing
Teams (CART), Indy Race League (IRL), SPORTSCAR, Automobile Racing Club of
America (ARCA), American Speed Association (ASA) and World of Outlaws
(W.O.O.).  Vantare, Featherlite's luxury motorcoach division, is the "Official
Coach" of NASCAR, IRL and SPORTSCAR.
    Featherlite designs, manufactures and markets high-quality specialty
trailers, including horse, livestock, utility and cargo drop frame vans,
luxury motor coaches, snowmobile and car trailer, and race car transports.
The company offers diversified product lines with more than 400 custom-order
and standard-model specialty trailers through a network of more than 240
full-line and over 600 limited-line dealers in the United States and Canada.
For more information, please visit the Featherlite Web site at
http://www.featherlitemfg.com/