Cooper Standard Launches Careers For Veterans Program

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cooper Standard (NYSE: CPS) announced today that the company is building on its community involvement activities with the formation of the "Cooper Standard Careers for Veterans" program.  The program will leverage Cooper Standard's partnership with Brad Keselowski and Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) throughout the 2014 NASCAR season.

Novi, Michigan based Cooper Standard, a leading global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry, has been a primary partner of BKR since 2011.  The BKR team, which fields multiple entries in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series including the No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford F-150, is owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Keselowski. Cooper Standard originally partnered with Brad Keselowski based on his Michigan heritage (Rochester Hills, Michigan-native) and the shared interests in assisting military veterans returning to civilian life. Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation strives to support those who have sacrificed greatly including military members and veterans.

The overall objective of the "Cooper Standard Careers for Veterans" program is to provide career opportunities for military veterans and those transitioning from active service.  "We look at the 'Careers for Veterans' program as a means for Cooper Standard to let veterans know we are actively hiring and looking to recruit top talent that can positively impact our business," said Jeff Edwards, Cooper Standard's Chairman and CEO. "In many cases, military veterans possess unique skill sets acquired through their service to our country. Cooper Standard is one company where these veterans can put these skills to work.  Brad Keselowski and BKR will help get this message out to the massive NASCAR audience, and many military families.  We hope that Cooper Standard's efforts and the visibility of the program through Brad and BKR encourage other companies to engage in similar programs."

Keselowski, as well as Ryan Blaney, the driver of the No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford F-150, will help serve as spokesmen of the Cooper Standard program.  The No. 29 BKR truck with Blaney at the wheel will feature a special "Cooper Standard Careers for Veterans" paint scheme that will take to the track at four (4) races in 2014 -- Daytona (February 21^st), Charlotte (May 16^th), Kentucky (June 26^th) and Michigan (August 16^th).

"Cooper Standard has been a terrific partner of not just BKR over the past few years, but also the Checkered Flag Foundation and our efforts on that front," said Keselowski. "I and everyone at BKR and the Foundation are absolutely 100-percent behind 'Cooper Standard Careers for Veterans' and are pleased that Cooper Standard has asked us to play a role in the initiative."

For more information on "Cooper Standard Careers for Veterans" please visit www.careersforveterans.org.

About Cooper Standard:
Cooper Standard, headquartered in Novi, Mich., is a leading global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry. Products include sealing and trim, fuel and brake delivery, fluid transfer, thermal and emissions and anti-vibration systems. Cooper Standard employs more than 22,000 people globally and operates in 19 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.cooperstandard.com.

About Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR):
Based in Mooresville, North Carolina and led by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski (@Keselowski), Brad Keselowski Racing (@TeamBKR) fields the No. 19 and the No. 29 Ford F-150 trucks in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. BKR, with the aim to provide young talented drivers the opportunity to improve their skills with a professional, competitive team, has also fielded entries in the ARCA Series and other developmental motorsport series. For more information, please visit www.BradRacing.com and www.TeamBKR.com.

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SOURCE Cooper Standard