ZEELAND, MI -- (MARKET WIRE) -- Apr 28, 2008 -- Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX), the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry, recently received a World Excellence Award from Ford Motor Company in a ceremony held in Dearborn, Michigan. Gentex received a Recognition of Achievement Award: New Consumer-Focused Technology for its Rear Camera Display (RCD) Mirror. The RCD Mirror was first commercialized on the Mazda CX-9 crossover utility vehicle in 2007, followed soon after by the Ford F-Series full-size pickups and other Ford vehicles.

The World Excellence Awards recognize suppliers that make a significant and outstanding contribution to the vision of Ford Motor Company and are the highest honor a supplier can earn. Ford honored 47 top global suppliers for superior performance in 2007.

"It is an honor to receive this prestigious award that recognizes Gentex's contribution to improving customer satisfaction and working with Ford to produce world-class vehicles," said Gentex Chairman and CEO Fred Bauer. "The Rear Camera Display Mirror is an innovative product that aligns with Ford's commitment to deliver the best product with the most value to their customers -- and we are privileged to play a part in their success."

The Rear Camera Display Mirror is an interior auto-dimming rearview mirror with an integrated liquid crystal display (LCD) display that works with a video camera to provide a view of the area directly behind the vehicle. The LCD display appears automatically through the auto-dimming mirror's reflective surface when the vehicle is shifted into "reverse," and disappears when the vehicle is shifted into any other gear.

Virtually all vehicles have large rear blind zones that make it difficult to detect objects and pedestrians in the vehicle's rearward path. Gentex developed the mirror-borne display to address the problem of backover incidences and to make it easy and cost effective for automakers to offer rear camera systems on a wider variety of vehicles. The mirror is an intuitive and ergonomic location for the display, which allows the driver to view the display and reflected scene simultaneously.

The World Excellence Awards were jointly developed by Ford and its suppliers, and were first distributed in 1998. There are three levels of awards: Gold, Silver and Recognition of Achievement. The Recognition of Achievement is given to suppliers that improve customer satisfaction by leading key initiatives.

"This marks the tenth year we have honored world-class suppliers for extraordinary contributions that directly impact Ford's ability to deliver high-quality vehicles and customer satisfaction," said Tony Brown, group vice president, Global Purchasing. "This commitment to excellence is coming through in the latest quality data, which shows Ford's initial quality in North America is now equal to the best in the industry. These successes belong not just to Ford -- but our customers as well."

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, the Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. Many of the mirrors are sold with advanced electronic features, and more than 96 percent of the Company's revenues are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major automaker in the world.

FINANCIAL MEDIA AND INVESTOR CONTACT:
Connie Hamblin
616/772-1800
GENERAL MEDIA CONTACT:
Craig Piersma
616/772-1800
WEBSITE: 
www.gentex.com

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