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OEA Appoints Thomas C. Kowalski

19 January 1999

OEA Appoints Thomas C. Kowalski Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Automotive Safety Products Division

    DENVER, Jan. 19 -- OEA, Inc. today announced the
appointment of Thomas C. Kowalski, a 31-year automotive industry veteran, as
vice president of sales and marketing of OEA Automotive Safety Products.
    William R. Barker, president of the Automotive Safety Products division,
said Kowalski will be responsible for all sales and marketing activities
associated with air bag initiators and inflators and will take an active role
in analyzing new product requirements and improving customer satisfaction.
    "Tom Kowalski is a seasoned and accomplished sales and marketing executive
with diverse experience in the automotive industry," said Barker.  "He brings
to OEA a strong track record of developing and implementing innovative
marketing strategies that have consistently resulted in substantial new
business awards for his organizations both domestically and internationally."
    Prior to joining OEA, Kowalski was a director in charge of new business
development for Baker & Company, a leading international management consulting
firm specializing in business and organizational strategy for the automotive
industry.  He was previously vice president of sales and marketing for Takata,
Inc., a major manufacturer of automotive air bags and safety restraint
systems; sales and marketing director of the ABS and Control Division of
Kerlsey-Hayes, Inc.; and sales manager for ITT Automotive's Alfred Teves
Division.
    Kowalski is the third senior executive to join OEA since June of 1998,
when Barker was appointed to the newly created position of president of its
Automotive Safety Products division and L. Gene Stohler was appointed vice
president of business development.  Charles B. Kafadar, president and CEO of
OEA, said the Company will continue to enhance and expand its management team
in order to effectively pursue growth opportunities.
    "Our automotive business is growing at an aggressive rate as automakers
and module manufacturers continue to demonstrate confidence in the
performance, safety and reliability of our products," Kafadar said.  "This
growth has enabled OEA to attract top management and sales talent that, in
turn, is working to expand existing customer relationships and develop new
ones."
    OEA is the technology leader and a major manufacturer in the air bag
inflator and initiator industry.  The Company is also a leader in the design
and manufacture of personnel escape systems for military aircraft and
high-reliability devices for missile and aerospace applications.

    Certain of the information set forth above, including statements regarding
automotive business growth, expansion and development of customer
relationships, technology leadership, as well as other statements or
implications regarding future events, are "forward-looking statements" for
purposes of federal securities laws.  Actual results or events may differ
materially from these forward-looking statements depending on a variety of
factors.  Reference is made to the cautionary statements under the caption
"Forward-Looking Statements" in OEA's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended July 31, 1998 and the Company's report on Form 8-K filed on June 4, 1998
for a description of various factors that might cause OEA's actual results to
differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements.