SOURCE: Gentex Corporation

 

ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - July 2, 2008) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX), the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry, today announced that the Company has promoted Mark Newton, 48, to Senior Vice President of Electrical Engineering and Purchasing. Newton previously was Vice President of Purchasing and Advanced Technology.

“We are very pleased that Mark has agreed to step into this very important role in the Gentex organization,” said Gentex Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Fred Bauer. “Mark has over 25 years of experience in electrical engineering, optoelectronics, sales and purchasing, and we are fortunate that we have someone so capable to fill this management position within the Company.”

Newton joined Gentex in 2004 after working as Vice President of Unity Microelectronics in McKinney, Texas, for more than five years. He began his career in 1984 with a startup company called Carroll Touch that had invented an infrared touch computer interface, where he served in various manufacturing and engineering management positions. He also worked for automotive lighting manufacturer North American Lighting as well as Eaton Corporation in several positions, including Sales Engineer, Automotive Manager, and Lighting Manager focusing on components for automotive lighting applications.

He earned a B.A. in English from Eastern Illinois University and an A.A.S. in Electrical Engineering Technology from Parkland College, and has pursued graduate coursework in business. Mark and his wife, Jean, live in Holland, Michigan, and have three adult children.

Newton is replacing longtime Gentex employee, Robert Knapp, who is retiring as Vice President of Electrical Engineering. Knapp joined Gentex 18 years ago and has served in a variety of managerial positions in the Electrical Engineering department. He has been the longtime leader of the development of advanced-feature auto-dimming mirrors and new electronic technologies at the Company.

“Bob has made so many contributions to Gentex that it’s hard to pinpoint just one of them,” said Bauer. “He is very well liked at the Company, we consider him a good friend, and we’ll miss him as he pursues his retirement plans. We expect to continue to see Bob over the next nine months as he has agreed to continue to contribute his expertise to special ongoing projects within the Company,” Bauer concluded.

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, the Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. Many of the mirrors are sold with advanced electronic features, and more than 96 percent of the Company’s revenues are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major automaker in the world.