Kia America today announced that Steven Center will join the company on January 10 as chief operating officer and executive vice president. The former vice president of the automobile sales strategy division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. will oversee strategy and execution for Kia’s sales, service and marketing operations in the United States and will report to Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America.

Kia America today announced December sales of 48,506 units, pushing the company’s annual total past the 700,000 mark for the first time in company history. Kia’s 2021 performance represents a 20-percent increase over last year with five of the brand’s most popular sedan, SUV and crossover models – Forte, Niro EV, Seltos, Sportage and Telluride – reaching all-time annual sales records.

Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) today announced that Albert Biermann, President and Head of the Research and Development (R&D) Division for the Group, is retiring, but will continue to act as an Executive Technical Advisor for the Group based in Europe.