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Runner-Up: John Krafcik

Hyundai Motor America’s John Krafcik defied an epic industry downturn that forced one automaker into bankruptcy and others to the brink of it.

The chief executive at Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America—the U.S. arm of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co.—led the automaker to its largest market share yet here with sales gains and crafty marketing.

The company’s U.S. market share rose to 4.1% from January to November, up from 3% a year earlier.

Sales for the period were up 6% from a year earlier, as sales for just about every other automaker fell.

Krafcik benefited from having the right vehicles for the time—Hyundai’s fuel-

efficient, inexpensive cars and sport utility vehicles proved a good fit with the down economy.

Krafcik seized on the opportunity. Start-ing in late 2008, he put Hyundai on a marketing blitz promoting a program that allows buyers to return vehicles if they lose their jobs or income.

In February, Hyundai ran commercials during the Super Bowl and Academy Awards after picking up space abandoned by struggling General Motors Co.

Later versions of Hyundai’s assurance program had the auto-maker offering to make up to three months of payments if auto buyers lost their jobs.

Fewer than 100 people actually took advantage of the offer, according to Hyundai.

Within months, other automakers followed Hyundai’s lead for a time.

“It validated Hyundai as a leader when GM and Ford followed us,” Krafcik said. “Even more interesting was that within two months of announcing their programs, both were out of the market after being unable to make it work.”

One of Hyundai’s bolder moves was to offer tax credits for trading in less fuel-efficient vehicles ahead of the government’s “cash for clunkers” program, Krafcik said.

When the government program kicked in, the automaker went on to make nearly 50,000 deals, accounting for 7% of all “clunker” deals.

“The lift we realized from the government program led us to our second best July ever,” said Dave Zuchowski, vice president of sales at Hyundai.

The automaker’s July sales were up 12% from a year earlier as the industry was down 12%.

Hyundai also launched its upscale Genesis sedan and coupe last year, breaking into the luxury market.

The automaker plans to roll out more luxury vehicles, including the Equus, due out in summer.

Krafcik is pushing Hyundai to expand as many other automakers are retrenching in the still shaky economy. The company is aggressively advertising and launching vehicles to tap an expected industry rebound.

Hyundai, the largest automaker with operations in Orange County, started selling cars here in 1986. It has nearly tripled its U.S. sales since 1999 with more than 400,000 vehicles sold in 2009.

The automaker saw a 49% sales gain in November from a year earlier, selling 31,005 vehicles. For the first 11 months of 2009, Hyundai sold 401,267 vehicles.

Krafcik joined Hyundai in 2004 as vice president of product development and strategic planning.

Before Hyundai, he held a number of executive positions at Ford Motor Co., including serving as chief engineer on the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

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