DEARBORN, MI — Amerigon Inc. has hired automotive industry financial executive Barry Steele to be its vice president of finance and CFO. Amerigon designs, develops and markets its proprietary Climate Control Seat products for sale to automotive and truck original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Steele will report directly to president and CEO Daniel Coker and be responsible for managing the company’s finance, accounting and administrative functions. He replaces William Wills, who has resigned to pursue other business opportunities.
Steele joins Amerigon with more than 12 years of automotive industry and public accounting experience, including seven years serving in a number of senior financial management positions for Sterling Heights, Mich.-based Advanced Accessory Systems, LLC, a global supplier of specialty accessories to the OEM and aftermarket segments of the automotive industry.
From September 1997 until joining Amerigon, Steele was with Advanced Accessory Systems, LLC, where his most recent position was vice president of finance and Chief Accounting Officer. In addition to managing the financial accounting, reporting, tax planning and regulatory functions of Advanced Accessory, he co-chaired its implementation committee for compliance with Rule 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. He also served as CFO for two years and was responsible for all treasury functions, completed two separate public financings and negotiated the financial terms of the sale of Advanced Accessory to a large private equity firm. In addition, Steele held a number of increasingly responsible positions including serving as treasurer and controller.
From January 1993 to September 1997, Steele was with Price Waterhouse LLP where his last position was that of senior accountant. In that role, he worked in the business advisory group, primarily performing audit, due diligence and related services. He was responsible for a number of public and private company clients, including Kmart Corp., Dana Corp. and La-Z-Boy Chair Co.
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