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Eminent Auto Analyst Teams With Shandwick

16 February 1998

Eminent Auto Analyst Teams With Shandwick

             Focus of Strategic Alliance is Reputation Management

    DETROIT, Feb. 16 -- Automotive industry analyst Dr. David
Cole and Shandwick, the world's largest independent public relations firm,
have announced a strategic alliance to provide global reputation management
counsel and communications services for automotive clients and prospects.
    Dr. Cole, director of the Office for the Study of Automotive
Transportation at The University of Michigan, "is among the world's most
respected and widely quoted authorities on automotive industry issues," said
Robert McEwen, managing director of Shandwick's Detroit office, one of 128
Shandwick offices in 50 countries around the globe.
    "David's in-depth product knowledge and grasp of industry trends --
particularly his insights regarding the globalization of the auto industry and
the changing nature of relationships between OEMs and suppliers will be
invaluable to our clients," McEwen said.
    Former U.S. Senator Donald W. Riegle, now chairman of Shandwick Public
Affairs in Washington, D.C., added, "I've known David for many years and his
expertise in automotive circles is unparalleled.  Adding him to our team gives
Shandwick a competitive advantage in Detroit that no other public relations
firm can match.  We are delighted to have him aboard."
    Dr. Cole, who received his B.S.M.E., M.S.M.E. and Ph.D. from U-M, said
Shandwick is "the world's premier reputation management consulting firm.  They
have a blue-chip client list, a highly sophisticated technology
infrastructure, a strong local presence here in Detroit, and unsurpassed
global reach.
    "So many of the automotive companies I work with face complex
communications challenges that increasingly are global in scope," Dr. Cole
added.  "Partnering with Shandwick gives me a ready talent bank of high
intellectual quality, with branches in places like Frankfurt, Tokyo and
Beijing.  I anticipate an exciting and very productive collaboration."
    Dr. Cole has conducted extensive research on the internal combustion
engine, the new vehicle development process and environmental technology
issues.  In recent years, he also has focused on a multitude of strategic
issues related to the restructuring of the North American automotive industry.
    Shandwick, headquartered in London, has more than 2,100 employees in its
128 offices.  Major clients include Microsoft, Kodak, Northwest Airlines,
Coca-Cola, Shell, Whirlpool, Ashland Chemical, Compaq, Pulte and Comerica.

SOURCE  Shandwick