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Mitzel Returns as AIAG Executive Director

11 December 1998

Mitzel Returns as AIAG Executive Director

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 11 -- The Automotive Industry Action
Group (AIAG) board of directors announced that Raymond J. Mitzel, loaned
executive to the AIAG from DaimlerChrysler, will succeed Richard T. Simmons as
executive director of the organization effective January 1, 1999.  Simmons, on
loan from Ford Motor Co., will retire on December 31, 1998.
    Actively involved with AIAG since 1983 and an industry executive on loan
to the AIAG since April 1995, Mitzel also had served as executive director of
AIAG in 1996.  In this position, Mitzel will be responsible for guiding all
industry-sponsored projects at AIAG, as well as the strategic focus and
continued growth of the organization.
    "Ray has been a dedicated and active leader at the AIAG," said Stephen E.
Zimmer, director, New Generation Vehicles at DaimlerChrysler and chairman of
the AIAG board of directors.  "His extensive experience with, and long-
standing commitment to, AIAG's many initiatives will serve us well as he again
leads AIAG in its cooperative auto industry efforts."
    Before becoming a full-time loan to AIAG, Mitzel served as manager of the
JIT Programs/Advance Systems Planning Department at Chrysler.  During his 31
years, he served in various management positions of increasing responsibility
in the areas of production control, corporate management information systems
and internal operations.
    A two-time recipient of AIAG's Outstanding Achievement Award, Mitzel
earned a bachelor of science degree in management from the Chrysler Institute
of Engineering and a bachelor of science degree in industrial management from
Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
    Since 1982, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors Corp. have each made a
commitment to consistently provide the AIAG with a full-time loaned executive.
Each year one of the automakers' loaned executives assumes the role of
executive director -- with the position being rotated among each of the three.
    Founded in 1982, the AIAG is a not-for-profit trade association of 1,500
automotive and truck manufacturers and their suppliers.  Originally recognized
for its efforts to standardize electronic data interchange and bar code
standards to assist tier one suppliers, the AIAG's mission has expanded to
cover all levels of the automotive supply chain as well as to include numerous
programs and initiatives aimed at improving its members' productivity and
quality.
    More information about the AIAG and its initiatives can be found at its
website at http://www.aiag.org.