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Mercedes-Benz Names Nelson to Newly Created Position of Manager

12 April 1999

Mercedes-Benz Names Nelson to Newly Created Position of Manager, Corporate Diversity MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA Debra Nelson (PR NewsFoto)[PH] MONTVALE, NJ USA 04/12/1999    

    MONTVALE, N.J., April 12 -- Mercedes-Benz today announced the
appointment of Debra Nelson to manager, corporate diversity, at the company's
Montvale, N.J. headquarters, effective immediately.  Nelson moves from MBUSI
in Tuscaloosa, Ala., (the company responsible for the manufacture of the
Mercedes-Benz M-Class sport-utility vehicle), where she was in charge of
external affairs.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990412/LAM085 )
    In this position, Nelson reports directly to Mike Jackson, president and
CEO of Mercedes-Benz and is responsible for developing and implementing
initiatives aimed at addressing diversity issues throughout the U.S.  This
important initiative embraces related human resources, retail network,
purchasing, training and marketing activities at Mercedes-Benz.
    "As Mercedes-Benz expands its product and service offerings to a broader
customer base with a wide array of lifestyles and expectations, it is
critically important to ensure that this increasing diversity is reflected in
our organization and in our business practices.  For that reason, we have
created a dedicated position to steer this process and Debra brings us an
ideal combination of professional expertise and familiarity with the Mercedes-
Benz culture," said Jackson.
    Long a champion of outreach activities, Nelson has won numerous
professional awards including the Human Rights Award from the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference in 1995.  During her tenure at MBUSI, which
began in 1994, the company received nearly a dozen awards from outreach and
minority-oriented initiatives including Corporation of the Year Award (South
Regions Minority Business Council), Outstanding Achievement Award (National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and the Human Rights Awards
(NAACP).
    As administrator of external affairs at MBUSI, Nelson was responsible for
developing and implementing strategies and initiatives to support the
company's role and image within the state of Alabama.  She also helped create
and implement MBUSI's public affairs and community relations activities.  As
chief architect of MBUSI's corporate citizenship strategy, Nelson worked
closely with government entities, educational institutions and other related
organizations associated with MBUSI.
    From 1988 to 1994, Nelson served as assistant director of university
relations and director of media relations for the University of Alabama
System, where she worked with state and national media to communicate programs
and policies of the three-campus system.
    Prior to joining Alabama's state university system, Nelson worked for
several news organizations in Alabama, where she held various community
affairs and public affairs positions.  From 1984 to 1988, she served as
director of community affairs at WBRC-TV, the former ABC affiliate in
Birmingham, where she also produced and anchored public affairs programs.
From 1980 to 1984, Nelson served as public affairs director, then news
reporter, at WSGN radio in Birmingham.
    From 1987 to 1994, Nelson was an instructor of special studies in the
continuing education department at the University of Alabama where she taught
courses on media relations and interpersonal communications.  Nelson has also
designed and led seminars for professional associations and higher education
institutions.  She has held professional and civic appointments with the
College Fund/UNCF, Salvation Army, American Heart Association, and the
Association of Black Women in Higher Education.  Nelson has also served on the
boards of the Birmingham Urban League, American Cancer Society, and United
Cerebral Palsy.
    Nelson holds a B.A. degree in communications from the University of
Alabama.