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Automotive Hall of Fame Announces 1997 Automotive Industry Leader of the Year

28 October 1997

Automotive Hall of Fame Announces 1997 Automotive Industry Leader of the Year

    DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 28 -- The architect of Ford Motor
Company's global integration of its automotive business has been
named the Automotive Hall of Fame's 1997 Automotive Industry Leader of the
Year.
    Alex Trotman, Ford Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will be
honored at the Automotive Hall of Fame & Popular Mechanics Annual Awards
Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans February 1, 1998, during the
National Automobile Dealers Association's Annual Convention.
    The prestigious award is made each year to the individual who best
exemplifies the "image, foresight, leadership, integrity, and purpose
contributing most to the advancement of the automotive industry," says Ronald
L. Cutler, Vice President, Marketing-Automotive, TRW Inc. and Hall of Fame
Chairman.
    Trotman's achievements at Ford and industry-wide, combined with extensive
community activities, led to his selection as this year's Automotive Industry
Leader, Cutler says.
    The Ford team Trotman headed began transforming the company in 1994 by
re-engineering the core processes of its automotive business-product
development, manufacturing, vehicle ordering and distribution, and after-sales
service.  Newly emerging information technology was used to integrate all
automotive activities into a single, global operation.
    Indicators of Ford's successes under his leadership in 1997 include:
    *  The company's most-recent earnings results, from the third quarter of
1997, were a record $1.125 billion, marking the sixth consecutive quarter in
which automotive sales results improved from the previous year.
    * The J.D. Power and Associates' 1997 Initial Quality Survey showed that
Ford continued to be the domestic quality leader, with a 28 percent
improvement in this year's quality -- the most for any manufacturer.

    As current Chairman of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association,
Trotman has spoken out repeatedly on issues of concern to the industry,
including trade, regulation, education, safety and the environment.  At the
same time, he has worked to bring those in and outside the industry together
to resolve problems in the best interests of all concerned.
    The Ford executive's concern about the environment and the auto industry
is underscored by his support of the Partnership for a New Generation of
Vehicles, the collaboration between the U.S. government and automakers to
improve fuel efficiency.
    Trotman continued to be recognized for his community leadership this year.
That recognition included the National Minority Suppliers Development
Council's Minority Business Leadership Award, the Boy Scouts of America "Good
Scout" Award, The American Academy of Excellence's Golden Plate Award, and
"Person of the Year" Awards from the British-American, Brazilian-American and
French-American Chambers of Commerce.
    Trotman, 64, has been Ford's Board Chairman since 1993.  He joined Ford of
Britain in 1955 and has been with the company's U.S. operations since 1969.
Last year's Automotive Industry Leader of the Year was Richard E. Dauch
(American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.).  Past honorees also include Lee A.
Iacocca (Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation), Roger B. Smith (General
Motors Corporation), and Heinz C. Prechter (ASC, Inc.).
    The new Automotive Hall of Fame, open since August, is a visitor
attraction and educational resource.  Through interactive exhibits and
one-on-one demonstrations, it celebrates accomplished people of the worldwide
motor vehicle industry for the purpose of inspiring others, especially young
people, to higher levels of achievement in their own work and lives.

SOURCE  Automotive Hall of Fame