Twenty-one finalists announced for upcoming 2007 Urban Wheel Awards

(December 11, 2006) An independent panel of automotive journalists have announced finalists for the 2007 Urban Wheel Awards. Winners will be honored at the 11th Annual Urban Wheel Awards, which will be held at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on January 9, 2007, in conjunction with Press Week of the North American International Auto Show.

Now in its 11th year, the multicultural event is known as the "Academy Awards" of the auto industry, a time when celebrities are the ones presenting awards to automotive manufacturers, executives, suppliers, advertising agencies and motorsports organizations who have contributed to diversity in the industry.

The winner of the Best Automotive Diversity advertisement for 2006 will also be announced. The Diversity Automotive Advertisement of the Year Award is given to an advertising agency that produces the most popular print ads geared to African-American, Latino and Asian markets. It is voted on by the general public, who decide on the winners in each category. Consumers are encouraged to log on to the On Wheels website at www.onwheelsinc.com and 15 other websites to select their favorite ads.

"The Urban Wheel Awards honors the pioneering automotive industry leaders who transcend the mainstream and embrace diversity to create products and services that appeal to a larger customer base," said Randi Payton, President & CEO of On Wheels, Inc. which founded the awards.

A special Life Time Achievement Award will also be given to Deborah Coleman Young, who rose from a working class family in St. Louis, attending public schools, to make history as the first woman at Ford to run a vehicle assembly plant. Coleman served as president, CEO and chief operating officer of AutoAlliance International, a manufacturing venture owned by Ford and Mazda Motor Corp. She was also the first woman and the first African-American to lead a South African firm when she was named CEO and group managing director of Ford Motor Co. of Southern Africa.

Finalists are named based on the tally of votes by the panel of judges, from more than 15 multicultural, automotive trade, and general market media.


    Finalists Are:

    African American Executive of the Year

    William Perkins, President
    Bill Perkins Automotive Group

    Don E. Goodwin
    Vice President
    Scientific Labs and Proving Grounds
    DaimlerChrysler

    Joe W. Laymon
    Group Vice President
    Corporate Human Resources & Labor Affairs
    Ford Motor Company


    Asian Executive of the Year

    Joe Chao
    Vice President
    Advanced Manufacturing Engineering
    DaimlerChrysler

    Mei-Wei Cheng
    Vice President - Ford Motor Company
    Chairman & CEO Ford Motor (China), Ltd.

    Devinder Bains, President
    Taft Chevrolet


    Latino Executive of the Year

    Stephanie Valdez-Streaty
    Sr. Manager Diversity & Philanthropy
    Nissan North America

    Marcos S. DeOliveira
    Executive Director
    Product Development
    Ford Motor Company

    Manuel Gonzalez, President
    Sterling Auto Group


    Supplier of the Year

    New Technology Steel
    James Group International Corp.
    The Bartech Group


    Company of the Year

    DaimlerChrysler
    Ford Motor Company
    General Motors


    Car of the Year

    BMW 3-Series Coupe
    Honda Fit
    Hyundai Elantra


    Truck of the Year

    Acura RDX
    Chevy Silverado
    Ford Edge


    Diversity in Motor Sports Finalists

    National Hot Rod Association
    Urban Youth Racing School



 

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