DEARBORN ? Richard Dauch, CEO of American Axle & Manufacturing of Detroit, was named Legend CEO at the Automation Alley Fifth Annual Awards Gala at the Ford Conference and Event Center Friday night. John Sanderson of Siemens VDO Automotive Corp. of Auburn Hills won CEO of the Year.

?The awards are a way to honor our talented technology leaders who lead the path to technological growth in Southeast Michigan,? said Ken Rogers, Automation Alley executive director. ?Their accomplishments are significant, and they are moving us forward as a region.?

Dauch was chosen as Legend CEO for his distinguished leadership in the automotive industry, Rogers said. Dauch holds more than 40 years of experience and has received many awards for his outstanding leadership skills. In 2003, Dauch received the Harvard Business School of Michigan Business Statesman Award.

His automotive experience includes positions as executive vice president of worldwide manufacturing at Chrysler, and group vice president of Volkswagen of America, where he helped launch the first major automotive transplant in the United States. In 1999, The Detroit News named him Michiganian of the Year, and in 1996, the Automotive Hall of Fame named Dauch Worldwide Automotive Industry Leader of the Year.

John Sanderson, named CEO of the Year, is responsible for the North American business initiatives of Siemens VDO Automotive, Rogers said. In 2004, under Sanderson?s leadership, the company made a $2 million investment to transform the supplier?s former machining and tooling shop in Auburn Hills, into a 5,000 square-foot fuel validation test center. This investment reinforced the company?s image as a technological leader in the automotive world.

Additional award recipients include:

Emerging Leader of the Year (2005 New Category): Dr. K. Joel Berry, Kettering University, Flint, Mich;

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Technology Company of the Year: DELMIA, Auburn Hills;

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Emerging Technology Company of the Year: Infor, Northville;

Educational Program of the Year: Haas Technical Education Centers (HTECs), Gerotech, Inc.,

Flat Rock;

Non-Profit Organization of the Year (2005 New Category): Beaumont Hospitals, Royal Oak;

Automation Alley Member of the Year: Dr. Patrick Callaghan, AlixPartners, Bloomfield Hills

Winners are chosen based on a nomination package that is reviewed and evaluated by a pre-selected committee.

For more information, click on AutomationAlley.Com