ATLANTA -- Genuine Parts Company (GPC) announced yesterday that Keith Cowan has joined the company, and on Feb. 19 the board of directors elected him to the position of executive vice president. Cowan will be involved in areas such as information technology and telecommunications, as well as strategic planning and business development.

Tom Gallagher, chairman, president and chief executive officer of GPC., said, “Keith has distinguished himself over his career and for the last 10 years he has held several key executive roles with BellSouth Corporation in Atlanta, GA. Keith is a very talented business executive and we look forward to his future contributions with Genuine Parts Company.”

In addition, GPC announced that G. Thomas Braswell, senior vice president, information technology, will retire on Feb. 23. Gallagher commented, “We want to thank Tom for his many contributions over his 40 year career and wish him the very best in his retirement.”

In other news, the board of directors of GPC has declared an increase of 8 percent in the regular quarterly cash dividend for 2007. The board increased the cash dividend payable to an annual rate of $1.46 per share compared with the previous dividend of $1.35 per share. The quarterly cash dividend of thirty-six and one-half cents ($.365) per share is payable April 2 to shareholders of record March 9. GPC has paid a cash dividend every year since going public in 1948 and 2007 marks the 51st consecutive year of increased dividends paid to shareholders.