American Axle & Manufacturing appoints executives

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. (AAM), today announced the following executive appointments effective October 1, 2005:

Yogendra N. (Yogen) Rahangdale has been named president and chief operating officer. Most recently he served as executive vice president, Operations and Planning. Rahangdale joined AAM in 1995, after spending 12 years at the former Chrysler Corp. in various positions including manager, Paint and Energy Management. Since joining AAM, he has served in positions of increasing responsibility including vice president, Manufacturing Services; vice president Manufacturing and Procurement Services; and executive vice president and chief technology officer. Rahangdale was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the Government Engineering College (A.P.S. University) in Rewa, India, and holds a master of business administration degree from Michigan State University.

Richard F. (Rick) Dauch has been appointed executive vice president, Worldwide Manufacturing. Most recently he served as president of AAM's Metal Formed Products Division. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in general engineering and economic management, and holds master's degrees in management and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He served in the United States Army as an airborne ranger, where his military assignments included combat engineer, platoon leader, executive officer, battalion adjunct, and light infantry company commander. He joined AAM in 1995 from United Technologies Corp. where he served as a senior business manager. Since joining AAM as corporate manager, Labor Relations, Dauch has held a variety of executive positions in Operations, Sales and Marketing, Financial Planning, and Investor Relations.

Marion A. Cumo has been named vice president, Special Projects. Most recently he served as vice president, Driveline Division. His 40-year automotive career experience includes operations and launching responsibility with four new plants for General Motors (GM) and Volkswagen of America, with accountability for manufacturing, materials, logistics, quality assurance, product engineering, and training. At the former Chrysler Corp., Cumo served in a variety of positions responsible for quality and production management. Cumo was with AAM when it began operations on March 1, 1994 as vice president, Quality Assurance and Customer Satisfaction. He has served as vice president, Materials Management; vice president, Materials Management and Logistics; and vice president, Program Management and Launch. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Detroit.

Allan R. Monich has been appointed vice president, Program Management and Capital Planning. Monich began his 27-year career in the automotive industry as a co-op engineering student at the GM facility in Bristol, Connecticut, while he was a student at General Motors Institute (GMI). He then held various positions in manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance, and sales for GM facilities in Connecticut, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Monich took on the position of plant manager of GM's Buffalo Gear & Axle plant in 1991, continuing in that position upon the formation of AAM in 1994. He was named vice president, Human Resources in November 1997 and vice president, Manufacturing, Forging Division in 2001. Prior to being appointed to his new position, Monich served as vice president, Program Management and Launch. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from GMI.

AAM manufacturers driveline systems and related components and modules, chassis systems, and metal-formed products for light trucks, sport utility vehicles, and passenger cars.