Detroiters Among New Leadership Team of California Auto Show

DETROIT, Oct. 14, 2002 -- Two Detroiters, both of whom were prominently involved in the operation of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), are now affiliated with Anaheim's California International Auto Show (CIAS), the first of the annual, North American auto show season, which begins this week.

John Sackrison

Former senior event manager of the NAIAS, John Sackrison was recently appointed executive director of the Orange County Automobile Dealers Association, which jointly presents the CIAS with the Southland Motorcar Dealers Association. Sackrison, a former resident of Huntington Woods, is also co-executive director of the CIAS.

In 1993 Sackrison joined the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA), which annually presents the NAIAS, and became director of government relations and member services working closely with the organization's 240 auto dealer members and the Michigan Legislature. Sackrison also worked with exhibitors, sponsors, media, and the city of Detroit as a senior event manager for the NAIAS. In January 2000, Sackrison, with the Detroit Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, coordinated the multi-faceted logistics and security detail during President Bill Clinton's tour of the NAIAS.

Joe Rohatynski

An independent public relations consultant based in the Detroit area, Joe Rohatynski, president of Rohatynski PR Consulting, has been named automotive manufacturer liaison for the CIAS, and is responsible for developing new channels of communication with exhibiting manufacturers and Detroit-based automotive press.

From 1998 through June 2001, as a PR agency vice president, Rohatynski managed the public and media relations for the DADA and NAIAS, and was responsible for scheduling the show's press conferences and vehicle introductions. Rohatynski, who managed the show's PR during the blizzard of 2000, the disabled PeopleMover, and President Clinton's visit, was also involved in day-to-day contact with domestic and international automakers on behalf of the show.

The 2003 Model Year CIAS, which comprises nearly half a million square feet, begins this week and runs October 15-20, 2002, at the recently renovated Anaheim Convention Center.