|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Leigh J. Abrams, CEO
Phone: (914)
428-9098 Fax:
(914) 428-4581
E
Mail: Drew@drewindustries.com
|
|
Drew
Industries Announces Appointment of Fred Zinn to CEO;
Changes
to Board of Directors
White
Plains, New York - November 20, 2008 - Drew Industries Incorporated (NYSE:
DW)
today announced that Fred Zinn, Drew’s President, will succeed to the office of
Chief Executive Officer in accordance with the Company’s management succession
plan. Zinn will continue to serve as a Director on Drew’s Board of Directors.
Drew,
a
leading supplier of components for recreational vehicles and manufactured
housing, also announced that Leigh J. Abrams, Drew’s Chief Executive Officer
since 1979, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors, while Edward
W.
(“Rusty”) Rose, III, Drew’s Chairman since 1984, was appointed Lead Director.
All appointments are effective January 1, 2009.
“In
the
28 years Fred has been with Drew, he has played a key role in growing Drew
from
a small company to a market leader for RV and manufactured home components,”
said Abrams. “We look forward to Fred’s leadership as we continue our successful
strategy based on market share growth, new product introductions, acquisitions
and operational efficiencies”.
“I
look
forward to serving as Drew’s CEO. Over the last 28 years I’ve learned
extensively from both Leigh and Rusty, and I’m delighted that we will continue
to have guidance from them in their new roles on Drew’s Board of Directors,”
said Zinn.
Zinn,
age
57, earned an MBA in finance and accounting from the University of Rochester,
and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the State University of New York at
Buffalo. He was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Drew in 1986, and appointed
Executive Vice President in 2001. In May 2008, Zinn was promoted to President
and appointed a Director.
Abrams,
age 66, served as Drew’s President and Chief Executive Officer from 1979 to May
2008 and will continue as CEO until December 31, 2008. Abrams, a certified
public accountant, brings to the office of Chairman over 35 years of experience
in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and operations. He also
currently holds the position of Lead Director of Impac Mortgage Holdings Inc.,
a
publicly-owned real estate investment trust, and has been a member of Impac’s
Board since April 2001.
About
Drew
Drew,
through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Kinro and Lippert Components, supplies
a
broad array of components for RVs and manufactured homes, including windows,
doors, chassis, chassis parts, bath and shower units, axles, and upholstered
furniture. In addition, Drew manufactures slide-out mechanisms for RVs, and
trailers primarily for hauling boats. Currently, from 36 factories located
throughout the United States, Drew serves most major national manufacturers
of
RVs and manufactured homes in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Additional
information about Drew and its products can be found at www.drewindustries.com.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect
to
financial condition, results of operations, business strategies, operating
efficiencies or synergies, competitive position, growth opportunities for
existing products, plans and objectives of management, markets for the Company’s
common stock and other matters. Statements in this press release that are not
historical facts are “forward-looking statements” for the purpose of the safe
harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933.
Forward-looking
statements, including, without limitation, those relating to our future business
prospects, revenues, expenses and income, whenever they occur in this press
release, are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of our senior
management at the time such statements were made, and involve a number of risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those suggested by forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake
to
update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur
after the date the forward-looking statements are made. You should consider
forward-looking statements, therefore, in light of various important factors
as
identified in this press release and in our Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2007, and in our subsequent Form 10-Qs filed with the SEC.
There
are
a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could
cause actual results and events to differ materially from those described in
the
forward-looking statements. These factors include pricing pressures due to
domestic and foreign competition, costs and availability of raw materials
(particularly steel and related components, vinyl, aluminum, glass and ABS
resin), availability of credit for financing the retail and wholesale purchase
of manufactured homes and recreational vehicles, availability and costs of
labor, inventory levels of retailers and manufacturers, levels of repossessed
manufactured homes, the disposition into the market by FEMA, by sale or
otherwise, of RVs or manufactured homes purchased by FEMA in connection with
natural disasters, changes in zoning regulations for manufactured homes, a
sales
decline in either the RV or the manufactured housing industries, the financial
condition of our customers, retention of significant customers, interest rates,
oil and gasoline prices, the outcome of litigation, and adverse weather
conditions impacting retail sales. In addition, national and regional economic
conditions and consumer confidence may affect the retail sale of recreational
vehicles and manufactured homes.
###