NORTHVILLE, MI — Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. has announced that James Yost has been promoted to the new position of executive vice president and chief financial officer. He previously served the company as vice president, finance and chief financial officer. Yost is responsible for the global finance and information technology functions. He will continue to report to Curtis Clawson, president, CEO and chairman of the board.

Yost has strengthened the finance team and enhanced internal accounting controls across the company. He was also instrumental in the success of the recent equity rights offering and debt refinancing, which raised new equity, retired high-cost debt, and strengthened the balance sheet.

"Jim is a key member of the Hayes Lemmerz leadership team and has had significant influence on the strategic and financial direction of the company. He also led the recent share rights offering and debt refinancing which bolstered our financial position," said Clawson. "We are very pleased to announce his promotion to executive vice president and CFO, and will continue to rely on his expertise and leadership as we guide our company into its next phase of growth."

Yost joined Hayes Lemmerz in July 2002. He retired from Ford Motor Co. in 2001, where he most recently served as vice president of corporate strategy. He also held positions as vice president and chief information officer, executive director of corporate finance, general auditor and executive director of finance process and systems development, finance director of Ford Europe and controller of Autolatina (South America) during his 27-year career.

Yost graduated with a bachelor of engineering science degree in computer science from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. He also received a masters of business administration degree in finance from the University of Chicago.