Amerigon Names Newell Vice President Finance
1 May 2000
Amerigon Names Newell Vice President Finance; Brings 13 Years Financial Management/Accounting Experience
IRWINDALE, Calif., May 1 Amerigon Incorporated
(Nasdaq: ARGNA) announced today that Craig P. Newell, 39, an experienced
financial executive, has joined the Company as Vice President of Finance, a
newly established position. Newell comes to Amerigon with more than 13 years
of financial management experience both with private companies and a "Big
Five" Accounting Firm. In his new role, Newell will report to Amerigon
President and CEO Richard Weisbart, and will be responsible for managing the
finance and administration operations of the Company. His duties will include
overseeing such functions as accounting, Treasury and Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) reporting.
According to the announcement by Weisbart, "This appointment adds the
right mixture of experience and leadership to our financial management group.
We are confident that Craig's varied finance experience, both with growing
companies and as an outside auditor, will greatly benefit Amerigon as we take
our Company to the next level and position it for growth in the future."
From 1997 to early 2000, Newell served as Corporate Controller for
privately-held Clayton Industries in El Monte, CA, a high-tech manufacturer of
dynamometers for use in diagnostic testing for vehicles by automotive OEMs and
repair shops. His responsibilities at Clayton included managing the
consolidation and preparation of the Company's financial statements,
coordination of federal and state income tax issues, cash management and other
Controllership functions.
Between 1991 and 1997, Newell was Assistant Controller for Santa Monica,
CA-based Pacific-Sierra Research Corporation. His duties at Pacific-Sierra, a
privately-held company, included preparation of monthly financial statements
and related financial analysis schedules, ensuring compliance with GAAP
standards, federal and state tax regulations and working directly with the CFO
to prepare annual budgets. Newell was Senior Auditor for the San Diego and
Orange County, CA offices of Ernst & Young LLP from 1987 to 1991, where he
managed audit projects for companies ranging in size from start-up operations
to large multinational organizations.
Newell is a certified public accountant and holds an MBA in Finance from
the University of Southern California. He obtained a Bachelors of Science in
Accounting from San Diego State University. He resides in Long Beach.
Amerigon, a rapidly growing supplier to the global automotive industry,
develops and supplies proprietary high-technology products for automotive
OEMs. The Company has two principal products that serve two key, high-growth
global automotive markets: its proprietary Climate Control Seat(TM) (CCS(TM))
system, which is the only product available today that makes it possible for
both the driver and front seat passenger of a vehicle to individually and
actively control the cooling and/or warming of their seats for year-round
comfort; and AmeriGuard(TM), which is a radar sensing system, designed to
improve drivers' field of view in vehicle applications such as enhanced
parking aids, back-up warning and side object detection for collision
avoidance.
Contact: Damon Wright (investors), damon@allencaron.com, 949-474-4300, or
Kari Rinkeviczie (media), kari@allencaron.com, 212-698-1360, for Amerigon
Incorporated.