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Former Volkswagen Senior Executive Named President of Franco PR Group

18 September 2000

Former Volkswagen Senior Executive Named President of Franco PR Group

    DETROIT, Sept. 18 Franco Public Relations Group
(http://www.franco.com ) today announced that it has named former Volkswagen senior
executive Maria Leonhauser Rosenau president, and that Frederick "Pete"
Rosenau has been named chairman of the company's board of directors.  The
announcement was made by Franco owner and CEO Dan Ponder, who said the
Rosenaus will also join him as 50 percent owners of the 36-year-old, Detroit-
based agency.
    "This is a tremendous progression for Franco, its staff and its clients,"
said Ponder, who has been with the company for 15 years.  "Everyone will
benefit by the wealth of experience and creativity the Rosenaus bring to the
agency -- Maria with her global public relations credentials and journalism
experience, and Pete, a successful entrepreneur and community leader."

    Maria Leonhauser Rosenau
    Leonhauser Rosenau brings to Franco 25 years of experience in public
relations and journalism.  Before joining Franco she was a partner with her
husband in their retail automotive and powersports businesses.  Previously she
served as director of public relations for Volkswagen in North America, where
she was responsible for new product launches for Audi and Volkswagen in the
U.S. and Canada, as well as for developing the corporate and brand media
communications strategies.  Notably, Leonhauser Rosenau developed the world
press introduction of Concept 1, which was later named the New Beetle, and was
part of the team that led Volkswagen and Audi to their respective turn-around
in the U.S. and Canadian markets.
    She also was a reporter, editor, editorial writer, and columnist for The
Philadelphia Bulletin, the Sacramento Bee, Time Magazine and People Magazine.
    As president, Leonhauser Rosenau will oversee the development and
management of the public relations consulting side of the business, and will
expand the organization's scope in national/international markets and business
development.

    Pete Rosenau
    Until the recent sale of his businesses, Rosenau had been owner of six new
car franchises in Southeastern Michigan, including Honda, Hyundai, Mazda,
Volkswagen, Toyota and Subaru, and 29 powersports franchises, where more than
100 people were employed.  Rosenau, a past president and executive committee
member of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA), in 1995 became the
first all-import auto dealer to head the DADA.  Rosenau was also co-chairman
of the 1997 and 1998 North American International Auto Shows.
    As a member of Franco's board of directors, Rosenau will focus on
strengthening and expanding Franco's support services to current clients,
enhancing executive training and event management, and developing business
expansion plans and strategies.
    The Rosenaus are very active in the Metropolitan Detroit community and are
co-chairs of a $9 million campaign for Henry Ford Community College.  They
were recently honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the college.
Rosenau also is president of the board of trustees, YWCA of Western Wayne
County, and serves on the executive committee of the Better Business Bureau of
Southeast Michigan.

    Franco Public Relations Group is a full service public relations agency
offering marketing support, employee communications, crisis counseling, media
relations, publicity placement, trade show exhibits and marketing support,
public affairs counseling, special events planning and management, specialized
business writing, media and presentation training, electronic production
(including Internet and video production) as well as speech support, corporate
identity development, corporate advertising, graphic design and print
production. Franco has been a Detroit-based public relations agency for 36
years. In 1999, Franco reported net fee income of $2.4 million and is on track
to exceed that figure in 2000.