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Mazda Divisions Merge Under Leadership of Gordon Dickie

17 March 2000

Mazda Divisions Merge Under Leadership of Gordon Dickie; Dickie Also Named to the Board of Directors of Auto Alliance International

    IRVINE, Calif., March 16 Mazda North American Operations
today announced that the Product Planning and Design and the Engineering,
Manufacturing and Supply Divisions will join as one organization under the
leadership of Gordon Dickie.
    Dickie, previously vice president of engineering, manufacturing and
supply, was responsible for engineering, remanufacturing, production, quality
assurance, testing and accessory development.  As vice president of the new
Research and Development Division, Dickie's responsibilities expand to also
include design, advanced planning and marketability testing.
    "Clearly, the customer is the focus of everything we do at Mazda," said
Richard Beattie, president and CEO of MNAO.  "The new R&D Division will
improve efficiencies, and I'm confident that under Gordon's leadership, our
ability to provide exemplary service and value to satisfy our customers will
improve as well."
    Additionally, Dickie, who is based in Flat Rock, Mich., has been named to
the board of directors of Auto Alliance International Inc. representing MNAO.
AutoAlliance International is the Flat Rock-based joint manufacturing venture
owned by Mazda Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Company.
    Dickie joined Mazda in 1993 as national warranty manager.  In January
1996, he was promoted to director of customer service and parts operations.
He was promoted to vice president of engineering, manufacturing and supply in
September 1998.
    Before joining Mazda, he worked for Volvo Cars of North America as a
regional general manager and Volvo Canada, Ltd. as a zone manager.  He
received his engineering degree from Springburn College of Engineering in
Scotland.
    The AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, Mich., produces the Mazda 626 midsize
sedan, the company's highest volume vehicle.  Auto Alliance International is a
self-contained facility, with stamping, plastics production, supplier quality
and purchasing all handled on-site.  The company employs approximately
3,100 people.
    Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the sales and
marketing, customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the United
States.  Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has more than 750 dealerships
nationwide and is owned by Mazda Motor Corporation, Hiroshima, Japan.