Tower Automotive Announces Leadership Changes in Its International Operations

Tower Automotive Announces Leadership Changes in Its International Operations

April 27, 2006

    NOVI, Mich., April 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Tower
Automotive (OTC Bulletin Board: TWRAQ.PK) today announced
that Dr. Gyula Meleghy, currently the president of Europe
and South America for Tower Automotive, and Vincent Pairet,
currently president of Asian Operations for Tower
Automotive, will switch positions effective July 1, 2006. 
Dr. Meleghy will become president, Asia for Tower
Automotive and Mr. Pairet will become president, Europe and
South America for Tower Automotive.  Both will continue to
report directly to Kathleen Ligocki, president and CEO of
the company.  

    "Both Gyula and Vincent have demonstrated
tremendous leadership in their regions," said Ligocki.
 "The switch gives Gyula an opportunity to lead our
rapidly growing Asian operations based in Japan and
provides Vincent the chance to return to Europe after many
years abroad to lead our successful European and South
American business.  I have great confidence that our
international operations will continue to strengthen and
grow, given the presidents' strong working relationships,
and that both leaders will continue to grow in their
careers."  

    Gyula Meleghy was appointed president, Europe and South
America for Tower in August 2004.  He also has served as
chief operating officer Europe and has led European
Customer Service.  Previously, Meleghy was president of the
Dr. Meleghy Group, a family-owned automotive supplier based
in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, which was acquired by Tower
Automotive in 2000.  Meleghy's responsibilities during his
time with the Dr. Meleghy Group included building up the
plants in Zwickau and Buchholz, Germany, as managing
director and leader of the press shops.  Meleghy graduated
from the University of Cologne in 1980.  He holds a PhD in
business and has more than 20 years of technical and
commercial experience in the automotive supplier industry.


    Vincent Pairet joined Tower Automotive as vice
president, Asian Operations in September 2002.  He was
promoted to president, Asian Operations on December 1,
2004.  He came to Tower Automotive from Solvay Group,
Belgium's largest chemical/pharmaceutical group.  While at
Solvay he held various management positions in Asia, Europe
and North America.  Those positions included president,
Asia, INERGY Automotive Systems, a 50/50 joint venture
between Solvay and Plastic Omnium (France), and president,
Solvay Automotive Asia K.K. (Japan).  He also served as
business development director for Solvay S.A. in Brussels,
Belgium, and as marketing director, Solvay Automotive Inc.
in Troy, Mich. 

    Pairet began his career with Solvay as deputy general
manager, Automotive Division in Brussels.  He holds a
master's degree in engineering with a major in architecture
from the Universite Catholique de Louvain in
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.  He also has an MBA in finance
and international business from the Katholieke Universiteit
te Leuven in Leuven, Belgium. 

    About Tower Automotive

    Tower Automotive, Inc. is a global designer and
producer of vehicle structural components and assemblies
used by every major automotive original equipment
manufacturer, including BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford,
GM, Honda, Hyundai/Kia, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen and
Volvo.  Products include body structures and assemblies,
lower vehicle frames and structures, chassis modules and
systems, and suspension components.  Additional company
information is available at http://www.towerautomotive.com
. 

    NOTE TO EDITORS:  High-resolution photos of Meleghy and
Pairet will be available at 4 p.m. EDT -- please visit
http://tower.quell.com .

    For more information, please contact:

     Joe Kirik
     Tower Automotive, Inc. 
     Tel:  [phone]

SOURCE  Tower Automotive, Inc.