Releases

SEOUL, April 3, 2020 – Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) announced today it has appointed J. Scott Drennan as Vice President of its Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Division. Drennan will report to Jaiwon Shin, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Head of UAM Division. In this role, Drennan will lead UAM research and development.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., March 27, 2020 – Hyundai Motor North America has selected Genesis and Hyundai veteran Erwin Raphael to lead a new cross-affiliate group as the Chief Cost Optimization Officer for Hyundai Motor North America. The new group, the North American Cost Optimization Committee, was created as a part of Hyundai’s efforts to...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., March 24, 2020 – Hyundai Motor North America has named Steve Gehring as its new executive director of North American Safety Regulations and Policy. Steve will be based at Hyundai’s Washington, D.C. office and will be responsible for executing Hyundai’s vehicle safety strategy in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In...

SEOUL, February 6, 2020 – Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Mong-Koo Chung will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the industry’s top honor, in the class of 2020.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 24, 2020 – Following two successful stints at Hyundai Motor America, Michael O’Brien, the vice president of product, corporate and digital planning, has elected to depart the company to pursue other interests. O’Brien’s distinguished Hyundai career spanned nearly two decades, where he helped lead...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 25, 2019 – Hyundai Motor North America has named Brian K. Latouf as its new chief safety officer. In this position, he will be responsible for all safety regulation matters, strategic legal direction and oversight of all safety and emission investigations and recalls in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. He officially...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 25, 2019 – Michael O’Brien, the vice president of Product, Corporate and Digital planning for Hyundai Motor America, was named a 2019 Automotive News All-Star in the product development category. This esteemed award is an annual selection of outstanding individuals who are leaders in the highly competitive...

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 30, 2019 – Hyundai Motor Mexico (HMM) has appointed Claudia Marquez as its new chief executive officer (CEO), effective November 1st. Marquez will be responsible for managing all aspects of Hyundai’s business in Mexico, including its product strategy, sales, marketing, customer relations and dealer development, among other...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 21, 2019 – Hyundai Motor America has named Angela Zepeda, the senior vice president and managing director at its agency of record INNOCEAN USA, as its new chief marketing officer. Angela will be responsible for all of Hyundai’s marketing and advertising activities in the U.S., including the strategic direction,...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 1, 2019 – Hyundai Motor America has appointed automotive industry veteran Robert Grafton as executive director of Dealer Development. Mr. Grafton will be responsible for managing and implementing the Hyundai dealer network strategy by optimizing retail representation and improving dealer relations. He started on...

SEOUL, September 29, 2019 — Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) has appointed Dr. Jaiwon Shin as Executive Vice President and Head of its newly established Urban Air Mobility Division. An internationally renowned aeronautics engineer, Dr. Shin will lead the company into a new era of developing smart mobility products within the aviation industry.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 28, 2019 – Hyundai Motor America has named automotive industry veteran Randy Parker vice president of National Sales. Mr. Parker will be responsible for all aspects of sales and distribution of Hyundai vehicles in the U.S., including sales strategies, fleet and certified pre-owned operations, dealer relations,...

Montgomery, Ala. – May 15, 2019 – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and other elected officials joined Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC (HMMA), in a celebration of the grand opening of HMMA’s cylinder head machining plant.

SEOUL, April 18, 2019 – Hyundai Motor Company has appointed José Muñoz as global Chief Operating Officer. In this capacity, Mr. Muñoz will oversee global operations strategies and their implementation. His focus will be to deliver profitable growth and to improve overall performance of Hyundai Motor based on his decades of automotive and...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 26, 2018 – Dean Evans, chief marketing officer of Hyundai Motor America, was named an Automotive News All-Star for 2018 in the marketing category. This prestigious award is an annual selection of outstanding individuals who have made a difference in the highly competitive automotive industry. Evans also recently...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 30, 2018 – As part of a series of Hyundai Motor Company personnel appointments designed to make the company more globalized and customer-oriented, Yong-woo (William) Lee, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America will also assume the role of president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America on an interim basis....

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., June 26, 2018 – Dean Evans, chief marketing officer (CMO) of Hyundai Motor America, was again selected as one of the World’s Most Influential CMOs by Forbes.

MONTGOMERY, Ala., June 1, 2018 –Production of the all-newly redesigned 2019 Santa Fe began today at Hyundai Motor Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA). During the balance of 2018, the plant plans to produce more than 84,000 of the Hyundai crossover vehicle to meet the growing demand in this popular segment. HMMA will continue to produce...

MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 29, 2018— Governor Kay Ivey joined Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC President and CEO Dong Ryeol Choi today to announce that Hyundai is investing $388 million to construct a plant dedicated to manufacturing engine heads and enhance existing operations to support production of new models of Sonata and Elantra...

SEOUL, March 1, 2018 – Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest carmaker, today announced that it has established a new division to enhance its high performance vehicle and motorsport businesses and has appointed a renowned industry expert Thomas Schemera to lead the new division.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 5, 2018 – Hyundai believes in providing its vehicle owners with an excellent product experience and to further that initiative is bringing back Omar Rivera to be the director of Quality and Service Engineering.

YPSILANTI TWP., Mich., October 24, 2017 – The Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) is entering into a long-term partnership with the American Center for Mobility (ACM) to support the advancement of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology. As one of ACM’s Founder-level sponsors, HATCI will contribute $5 million to support...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 23 2017 – To further strengthen its executive leadership team, Hyundai Motor America named Brian Smith its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Effective October 25, Smith, 58, reports to Hyundai Motor America president and CEO, Kenny Lee, and will be responsible for of all aspects of Hyundai’s U.S. operations,...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 - Hyundai Motor America today reported September sales of Hyundai and Genesis branded vehicles of 57,007 units, a 14 percent decline compared with the company’s best all-time September in 2016.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., July 27, 2017 – Hyundai believes that its customers deserve peace of mind when their vehicles are serviced at Hyundai dealers. To continue making the customer experience better, Hyundai Motor America has brought on industry veteran David VandeLinde to be the new director of Dealer Service and Parts Process. In this...

In the winter of 2016, Manish Mehrotra was named director of digital business planning and connected operations. Mehrotra’s organization is charged with leading collaboration across Hyundai Motor America divisions to identify, implement and operate technologies. These technologies, including the well-acclaimed Hyundai Blue Link® connected...

WASHINGTON, DC, Feb. 22, 2017 - Hyundai Motor Company today announced that David S. Kim will join the Washington, D.C. office as Vice President of Government Affairs. In this role, Kim will lead Hyundai’s U.S. government affairs program at the federal and state levels.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Dec. 21, 2016 – Hyundai Motor America today announced a continuation of a reorganization that began late this year by appointing W. Gerald (Jerry) Flannery as interim president and CEO, effective immediately. He succeeds Dave Zuchowski who will be leaving the company.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., November 17, 2016 – Hyundai Motor America today announced succession plans for three members of its executive team who will be retiring at the end of this year. The transitions involve:

MONTGOMERY, Ala., Oct. 13, 2016 – Car owners in Montgomery will have the opportunity to participate in the Hyundai Before Service Experience Tour on Oct. 19 at the company's assembly plant there for the second year in a row. At this tour stop, participants will have the opportunity to get their vehicle inspected for free regardless of make...

Local Event Offers Free Vehicle Inspections Regardless of Make, Car Care Tips, Food and Top-Offs for Engine Fluids MONTGOMERY, Ala., Oct. 13, 2016 – Car owners in Montgomery will have the opportunity to participate in the Hyundai Before Service Experience Tour on Oct. 19 at the company's assembly plant there for the second year in a row. At...

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP, MICH., April 21st, 2016 – Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) has named Dr. Minsup Lee to the newly created position of vice president. In this role, Dr. Lee will assist HATCI President William Freels in leading Hyundai’s design, technology and engineering activities for the North American market. Additionally,...

Capitol Hyundai Joins Keyes Hyundai, Tustin Hyundai, Win Hyundai in Carson 

SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP, Mich., March 11, 2016 – William “Andy” Freels is named President of Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI) . He will be responsible for leading engineering groups to develop global platforms to meet both North and South American markets. Freels is the first local executive to assume the HATCI presidency.

SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP, Mich., March 11, 2016 – William “Andy” Freels is named President of Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI). He will be responsible for leading engineering groups to develop global platforms to meet both North and South American markets. Freels is the first local executive to assume the HATCI presidency.“It is an...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 26, 2016 – Thirty years ago, a small company from a country not known for building cars came to the U.S. and began selling its first and only car, the Excel. Today, Hyundai is the fifth largest automaker in the world with 14 vehicles in its U.S. lineup and is celebrating its 30 th year in the U.S., recently...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 15, 2016 – Hyundai Motor America named Kimberly Walker General Manager of the Western Region, effective March 1, 2016. In her new role, Walker will lead the day-to-day operations of more than 165 Hyundai dealerships across the 12 Western-most states in the United States. She will report to Hyundai’s Vice...

Erwin Raphaeltitle General Manager, Genesis Brand Erwin Raphael, a 25-year veteran of the automotive industry, is the General Manager for the Genesis brand in the U.S. market. He is responsible for the strategic direction and management of all Genesis operations in the United States.Prior to his current appointment, Raphael was the Western...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., February 15, 2016 – Erwin Raphael has been named the new General Manager for the Genesis brand in the United States. He is responsible for the strategic direction and management of Genesis operations in the United States, including sales and marketing. He reports to Dave Zuchowski, President and Chief Executive...