Thor Announces Director Retirements, Appoints New Independent Directors (THO)

At its regularly scheduled meeting, the Board of Directors of Thor Industries THO appointed two new independent directors, James L. Ziemer and Andrew E. Graves. These appointments coincide with the retirement of long-standing board members William C. Tomson and Neil D. Chrisman, also effective at the same meeting. Mr. Ziemer, age 60, is the retired president and CEO of Harley Davidson, Inc. Mr. Ziemer joined Harley Davidson in 1969 and held a series of positions in manufacturing, engineering, accounting, parts and accessories, and finance. From 1991 until his election as the chief executive officer in 2005, he served as the chief financial officer. Mr. Ziemer is currently a director of Textron, Inc., where he is chairman of the audit committee. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Mr. Graves, age 51, is the current president of Brunswick Boat Group, the largest pleasure boat company in the world and a division of the Brunswick Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange company. He has been with Brunswick since 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Graves was president of Dresser Flow Solutions, a maker of flow control products, measurement systems and power systems, from 2003 to 2005, and before that, he was president and chief operating officer of Federal Signal Corporation. Mr. Graves earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. "I am very pleased to announce the appointment of these two exceptionally qualified independent directors whose experience will help guide Thor in the future," said Peter B. Orthwein, Thor's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "I am tremendously grateful to Bill Tomson and Neil Chrisman, who have devoted many years of service to Thor and its shareholders as directors. Neil's and Bill's advice and input have been important in making Thor the success it is today," he continued. Thor is the world's largest manufacturer of recreation vehicles and a major builder of commercial buses and ambulances.