Top Auto Designers Offer an Insiders' Look Into the Design Process

LOS ANGELES, March 25 -- The Motor Press Guild (MPG), America's largest professional automotive media association, announces an impressive group of leaders from the top U.S. automotive design schools, moderated by Eric Noble of The CARLAB, will participate in a panel discussion at the organization's April 1 meeting. Guest speakers included Tom Matano, Executive Director, Academy of Art University; Stewart Reed, Transportation Design Department Chair, Art Center College of Design; and Mark West, Interim Transportation Department Chair at the College for Creative Studies.

The world is changing rapidly, and design schools are trying to keep pace. The lauded alumni of these schools are responsible for much of the product we see on the roads today, and the assembled speakers will cover how education becomes the framework upon which vehicles the public will see in the future are built, as well as how the schools are adapting to a new world in transportation. The discussion also will focus on the design schools themselves and why they are so integral to the automotive industry.

All of the speakers, prior to their roles in academia, were involved in the design of automotive products: Tom Matano was Executive Vice President of Mazda R&D North America; Stewart Reed was the former Design Chief at Calty (Toyota's California design studio); and Mark West was previously Director for the Design Office at Visteon.

Special thanks to John Grafman from AutoDesignO for organizing this special MPG event.

  MPG Meeting Details:

  Who:      Design Panel
            Tom Matano, Executive Director, Academy of Art University
            Stewart Reed, Transportation Design Department Chair, Art Center
            College of Design
            Mark West, Interim Transportation Department Chair at the
            College for Creative Studies

            Moderator
            Eric Noble, The CARLAB

            Concept vehicles will be on display courtesy of Industrial
            Design Research, Hyundai, Toyota and the alumni those companies
            employ.

  When:     Tuesday, April 1, 2008
            Social - 11:30 a.m.
            Luncheon - Noon

  Where:    The Proud Bird Restaurant
            11022 Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
            Phone: 310-670-3093

  Price:    Members - $20; Non-Members and Guests - $25; (cash or check;
            open seating/no reservations)

  Contact:  MPG:  Robyn Eckard, 949-268-3049, or press@motorpressguild.org

For more information about MPG news, upcoming events, and directions to the Proud Bird, please visit http://www.motorpressguild.org/news.

About Motor Press Guild

The Los Angeles-based Motor Press Guild (MPG) is a non-profit professional association dedicated to promoting education and information exchange within the motoring press. MPG has more than 800 global members, including staff and freelance journalists, photographers, broadcasters, public-relations representatives from vehicle manufacturers, industry suppliers, aftermarket companies, consumer groups, governmental bodies and other motoring-related firms and organizations.