O'Rourke assumes the position from Larry D. Yost, Meritor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who has been serving as acting President of LVS since January 1998. O'Rourke joins Meritor from Lear Corporation where he was a Group Vice President and President of its Ford Division. O'Rourke will lead all aspects of the global LVS business, including the development and implementation of strategic actions designed to sharpen its focus in support of Meritor's overall financial goals.

Recording sales of approximately $ 1.5 billion in 1998, LVS is a major global supplier of automotive modules, systems and components for passenger cars, light trucks and sport utility vehicles. LVS employs more than 8,000 people in manufacturing sites, sales, technical and administrative offices and joint venture operations in 16 countries.

O'Rourke has 26 years of experience in automotive management and manufacturing at Lear Corporation and at Ford Motor Company. He most recently served as Group Vice President and President of Lear's Ford Division. Prior to that, he was President of Lear's Chrysler Division. O'Rourke began his automotive career at Ford Motor Company, where he spent 21 years serving in a variety of management capacities. O'Rourke is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Meritor, with 1998 sales of more than $ 3.8 billion, is a global supplier of a broad range of components and systems for commercial, specialty and light vehicle OEMs and the aftermarket. Meritor consists of two businesses: Heavy Vehicle Systems, a leading supplier of drivetrain systems and components for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, trailers and off-highway equipment and specialty vehicles, including military, bus and coach, and fire and rescue; and Light Vehicle Systems, a major supplier of roof, door, access control, suspension and seating adjustment systems and wheels for passenger cars, light trucks and sport utility vehicles.

Hollars comes to Gentex with nearly 35 years of automotive experience, beginning at Chrysler Corporation followed by 26 years with Lear Corporation, including six years in Germany. His career at Lear included a number of senior positions. Most recently, he was Group Vice President of the Premium Car Interiors Group, with responsibility for all activities with Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler and Porsche. Hollars graduated cum laude from Wayne State University, and received his MBA from Michigan State University. He served for two years in the U.S. Army. Hollars and his wife, Ellen, have two sons.

Gentex Corporation is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market. The Company develops, manufactures and markets proprietary electro-optic products, including interior and exterior electrochromic, automatic-dimming Night Vision Safety(TM) (NVS(R)) automotive rearview mirrors that dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps, and an extensive line of fire protection products for commercial applications.

Gentex was the first company in the world to successfully develop and produce a commercial electrochromic mirror for the motor vehicle industry. The Company is the leading supplier of these mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry. Gentex customers include Audi, Bentley, BMW, Daewoo, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Gulf States Toyota, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Southeast Toyota Distributors and Toyota.

Founded in 1974, Gentex operates out of three facilities in Zeeland, Michigan; an automotive sales office in Livonia, Michigan; automotive sales and engineering subsidiaries in Germany and Japan; and five regional U.S. sales offices for the Fire Protection Products Group. The Company is recognized for its quality products, its application of world class manufacturing principles, for its commitment to developing and maintaining a highly skilled workforce, and for encouraging employee ownership of the Company's stock.