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Mazda Names Stephen Odell Chief Operating Officer; Gordon Dickie and Fred Ehlers Receive Appointments in New Organization

28 November 2000

Mazda Names Stephen Odell Chief Operating Officer; Gordon Dickie and Fred Ehlers Receive Appointments in New Organization

    IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 28 Mazda today announced the
promotion of Stephen T. Odell to the position of Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer of Mazda North American Operations.  Formerly vice
president of marketing and sales, Odell joined Mazda 10-1/2 months ago from
Jaguar North America, where he headed up sales and marketing.
    In making the appointment, Charles Hughes, president and CEO, lauded
Odell's accomplishments during his short time at Mazda, pointing out that
Mazda's "Zoom-Zoom" campaign has created a tremendous increase in brand
awareness and that the launch of Mazda's new Tribute SUV exceeded initial
sales forecasts, leading to demand outpacing supply.
    Odell's new position gives him responsibility for MNAO's Customer Service
and Parts Division as well as Sales Operations and the Marketing Division.
    In a separate but related move, Odell announced the promotion of Fred E.
Ehlers, Jr. to the position of Vice President of Sales Operations, and the
appointment of Gordon A. Dickie to Vice President of Customer Service and
Parts.  Ehlers, who was previously Director of Sales Operations, will be
responsible for sales planning, dealer development, vehicle distribution and
will now have Mazda's five regional general managers reporting to him.
    Ehlers has been with Mazda for nine years and has held a variety of
management and executive positions, including marketing and advertising,
product planning and field operations.  Prior to joining Mazda, he worked for
both Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company in various field positions.
    Dickie replaces Duke Hale, who resigned from the company two weeks ago,
and will relocate to Irvine from Michigan, where he was MNAO's vice president
of R&D, to assume his new duties.
    Dickie joined Mazda seven years ago.  Most recently, he helped restructure
the company's Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Division in Flat Rock,
Mich., and merged it into the company's Irvine-based Research and Development
Division before assuming responsibility for both.  Prior to this he was
Director of Customer Service and Parts.  Dickie joined Mazda from Volvo Cars
of North America, where he held positions in sales, service and parts.
    Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the sales, marketing,
customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States.
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has over 750 dealerships nationwide.