AUTOMOTIVE HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES WILLIAM R. CHAPIN AS NEW PRESIDENT; Bailey, Brownless and Simonte elected to board DETROIT, July 19, 2010 - The Automotive Hall of Fame today announced William R. Chapin as the new President. Chapin was previously on the board of directors for the Automotive Hall of Fame. “The Automotive Hall of Fame tells the global auto industry’s amazing stories through the accomplishments of individuals. Over the next 18 months, we are planning more than two dozen new exhibits, car displays and special events to tell that story even better,” Chapin said. “These public activities will give our sponsors greater exposure and more credit for their support over the years.” The Automotive Hall of Fame also has elected four new board members to its 21-person board: • John J. Bailey, Chairman of John Bailey & Associates Public Relations, a Lambert, Edwards & Associates Company • Bruce Brownlee, Senior Executive Administrator, External Affairs - - Toyota Technical Center • Thomas J. Manganello, Partner and Chair of Warner Norcross & Judd’s Automotive Industry Group • Michael K. Simonte, Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of American Axle & Manufacturing “Bill’s creativity and vast automotive knowledge are great assets for the Automotive Hall of Fame. He is innovative and has a passion for our industry which will be reflected in his efforts for this organization,” said Stephen Polk, Chairman of the Automotive Hall of Fame board and Chairman, President and CEO of R. L. Polk & Co. About William R. Chapin: Chapin spent 14 years with American Motors Corporation (AMC) in various field sales, marketing and product planning positions. For two years he was on special assignment in Paris helping develop a strategic product plan for Renault and AMC in North America, and launched the Jeep Cherokee in Europe. In 1987, Chapin left AMC to establish Chapin & Co., an automotive marketing services company. Clients included ASC, CART/IndyCar, Ford Special Vehicle Team, ITT Automotive and Volvo Cars. In 1999, Chapin restructured his company in order to devote more time to the launch of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. MotorCities is an affiliate of the National Park Service dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting the automotive heritage of Michigan. As the grandson of Roy D. Chapin, a founder of the Hudson Motor Car Company, and the son of Roy D. Chapin Jr., former Chairman and CEO of American Motors, Bill Chapin has been involved in the automotive industry his entire life. About Automotive Hall of Fame: The Automotive Hall of Fame, located in Dearborn, Mich., is the only industry-wide means to honor the men and women of the global motor vehicle and related industries. It is dedicated to preserving the history of mobility by celebrating the creativity, toil and genius of the individual. The Automotive Hall of Fame is both a visitor attraction and an educational resource for inspiring others to higher levels of achievement in their own work and lives. For more information about the Automotive Hall of Fame, please contact Bill Chapin at bchapin@thedrivingspirit.org or at 313 240 4000.	- Click here for full article.