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Basketball superstar and two-time Honda Sports Award winner (2007, 2008) Candace Parker of the University of Tennessee has been awarded the 32nd annual Honda-Broderick Cup, designating her as the 2008 Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. The announcement was made today by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program in the Low Library at Columbia University in New York City. The prestigious award recognizes not only outstanding athletic achievement but team contributions, scholastics and community involvement as well.

Parker was selected as winner of the Honda-Broderick Cup by a voting of nearly 1,000 NCAA member schools. The 6′4″ forward is the second basketball player from the University of Tennessee to win the Honda-Broderick Cup, after Chamique Holdsclaw, who won the award in 1998. Last year’s winner was volleyball star Sarah Pavan of the University of Nebraska. Previous winners include track and field legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1985), soccer great Mia Hamm (1994) and swimming star Tara Kirk (2004).

Noted Parker: “I am honored to be chosen as the Honda-Broderick Cup winner this year from such an outstanding group of female student-athletes. I have been blessed to be recognized as an individual but know that I couldn’t have gotten where I am today without the help of my family, friends, teammates and coaches. My experience at the University of Tennessee prepared me for life as a professional basketball player and as a strong, independent woman. Coach Summitt always says if you surround yourself with great people and players, you are destined for great things. Winning this award and two national championships at Tennessee are, to me, great things. I want to thank Honda for its continued support of the award and women’s athletics throughout the years.”

Parker was among five finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup. This year’s other included:Amanda Blumenherst, Duke University (golf); Rachel Dawson, University of North Carolina (field hockey); Jacquelyn Johnson, Arizona State University (track and field); and Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech (softball).

Parker to Play With U.S. Olympic Team in Beijing

Parker was recently named to the U.S. Olympic team set to compete in Beijing this summer. She was the #1 WNBA draft pick this year and has been playing for the Los Angeles Sparks. In her final year at UT, she led the Lady Vols to their second consecutive NCAA Championship and was recognized for the second time as Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four, only the fourth player ever to do so. A three-time All American, she was also named Player of the Year by AP and ESPN.com. Her 40 blocks in 16 career NCAA tournament games is the second best record of all-time. She also ran a streak of 44 games of double-digit scoring and broke her own school record for single-season free throws made (194) and attempted (277).

A native of Naperville, Ill., Parker came to the University of Tennessee as perhaps the most decorated high school basketball player in history and only the second Lady Vol hailing from the state of Illinois. She finished her career at Rocky Top as the all-time leader in blocked shots, free throws made and free throws attempted. She also became just the fourth 2,000-point scorer in school history. Among her many honors, she was chosen this year as a unanimous All-SEC first-team selection by the media and for the third time a unanimous All-SEC first team choice of the league coaches.

Academic Star As Well

While at UT, Candace excelled in academics as well as athletics. A sports management major, she was named the Academic All American this year in the University division, and was also selected by ESPN the Magazine as a first-team Academic All-American and the 2008 Basketball Academic All-American of the Year - the first Lady Vol to do so since Jill Rankin in 1980. She is also only the second Tennessean to earn Academic All-America citations in consecutive years. In addition to her athletic and academic achievements, Candace also found time while in school to work with community service organizations such as D.A.R.E, Loaves & Fishes and the Ronald McDonald House.

Individual Honda Sports Award winners, in each of the 12 sports in addition to the final five included: Texas Tech’s Sally Kipyego for cross-country, Georgia Tech’s Amanda McDowell for tennis, Texas A&M University’s Ashlee Pistorius for soccer, Stanford University’s Foluke Akinradewo for volleyball, University of Florida’s Caroline Burckle for swimming & diving, the University of Georgia’s Katie Heenan for gymnastics and Northwestern University’s Hannah Nielsen for lacrosse.

Other Honors Presented

In addition to the annual Honda-Broderick Cup, the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards Program also presents its Honda Inspiration Award each year to a deserving collegiate female athlete. This year’s recipient was Patience Knight, an NCAA Division I softball player at Texas Tech. In February 2007, Knight was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor 8.6 cm in diameter near her heart. Immediately after her biopsy and throughout her painful struggle with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, she courageously continued to train and compete with her team, ultimately setting a school record of 56 feet, 8” in the shot put at this year’s NCAA Indoor Championship meet. She is now cancer-free and carries a 3.9 GPA.

At the Columbia University ceremony, the program also honored its annual “Athletes of the Year” from both NCAA Division II and Division III colleges. They are Division II, University of Minnesota Duluth volleyball star Vicky Braegelmann, and Division III, Willamette University’s cross country standout Sarah Zerzan.

Additionally, the Irv Grossman Award of Merit was presented to the Women’s Sports Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King. Karen Durkin, Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Sports Foundation, accepted the award, which recognizes unique achievement as it contributes to public awareness and appreciation of women’s collegiate athletics and elevates the status of women’s collegiate sports on a national level.

The “Collegiate Women Sports Awards sponsored by Honda” will air nationally on CBS College Sports Network for the third consecutive year on Sunday, June 29 (7:00 PM, ET). Hosted by CBS College Sports Network’s Greg Amsinger, the telecast includes the presentation of the Honda-Broderick Cup, among other awards, and features interviews with this year’s winners.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. sponsors the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program.

Honda Power Equipment manufactures and markets a range of outdoor power equipment products, including engines, generators, lawnmowers, pumps, snowblowers, tillers and trimmers for commercial, rental and residential applications.

Its comprehensive product line is powered exclusively by environmentally responsible, advanced 4-stroke engines for improved reliability, fuel economy and emissions. The inherent qualities of Honda’s 4-stroke technology reduce operator fatigue related to engine noise and vibration.

Honda Power Equipment, with headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia, consists of three distinct operating units: Honda Power Equipment, Honda Marine, and Honda Engines. The division’s products, including engines, generators, lawnmowers, pumps, snowblowers, tillers, trimmers, and marine engines, are produced in Honda plants in the United States and around the world. In calendar year 2007, Honda Power Equipment reached more than 6,000,000 customers worldwide.

Honda Power Equipment

Honda Power Equipment produces more than 60 models in six major product families:

Generators: from 1,000 watts to 10,500 watts in models designed for residential, recreational, and industrial applications.
Lawnmowers: 21-inch swath push-type and self-propelled models for premium residential and commercial gardening applications.
Pumps: a wide variety of general de-watering, multi-purpose, commercial, and submersible models with discharge capacities from 37 to 433 gallons per minute.
Snowblowers: wheel drive, track drive, and lightweight models capable of moving from 46.3 to 71.7 tons of snow per hour.
Tillers: mini-, mid- and rear-tine models.
Trimmers and Edgers: one stick edger and three trimmer models in a variety of trim heads and shafts featuring two engine choices.
All Honda Power Equipment models are designed to be environmentally responsible and technologically advanced and are powered exclusively with Honda 4-stroke engine technology for high fuel efficiency and low emissions. A network of more than 2,200 independent Honda Power Equipment Dealers sells Honda products throughout the United States. Additionally, more than 1,300 Home Depot stores carry lawnmowers, tillers, and snowblowers, and more than 1,000 national rental company outlets offer generators, pumps, and other selected products.

Honda Engines

Honda also designs and produces environmentally advanced 4-stroke engines for its own power equipment products and for use by other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). These models also are appreciably quieter, more fuel-efficient, and easier to start than comparable 2-stroke engines. Honda’s mini 4-stroke model, the GX25, is the lightest and most compact engine of its kind in the world, making it the ideal power source for a variety of handheld power equipment applications. Honda’s newest addition to its engines lineup is the iGX, the revolutionary intelligent computer-controlled general purpose engine that sets an even higher standard for ease of use, value, fuel efficiency, and quiet operation. For the first time in power equipment history, the all-new iGX features an integrated electronic control unit (ECU) that delivers complete drive-by-wire remote control capability and controls key aspects of engine operation. In 2007, Honda produced nearly 24 million engines globally across its product lines.

Honda Engines produces 29 models with more than 350 variations that supply reliable power for applications from pressure washers and hobbyist applications to commercial mowers, lawn tractors, and generators. Honda’s world-class reputation for durability, quality, reliability, and ease of operation under the most extreme conditions also makes Honda Engines the recognized choice for the construction and rental industries.

Honda Marine

For almost 40 years, Honda has produced a line of quiet, fuel efficient, and reliable 4-stroke outboard marine engines. Honda Marine offers the industry’s widest variety of 4-stroke outboards ranging from two to 225 horsepower.

Honda engineers work to ensure that every Honda outboard model sets the standard for fuel efficiency and ease of operation, while staying true to the core Honda attributes of durability, quiet operation, quality, and reliability. Honda’s advanced 4-stroke technology reduces the user’s cost of operation because no oil is needed in combustion.

Honda continually perfects its marine engine line by incorporating technologies from its highly advanced automotive and racing heritage. In order to maximize power output and durability, Honda marine outboards are based on the sophisticated technology of Formula I and Indy cars, racing motorcycles, and street vehicles. A Honda-powered racecar, in fact, captured the 2004 Indy 500 title - further testament to Honda’s leading engine technology. In addition, many of Honda’s marine outboards also include exclusive technological features found in the company’s most popular automobile engines, including the Acura MDX, Accord, CR-V, Element, and Civic.

Manufacturing and R&D

Honda Power Equipment products are produced at 11 Honda manufacturing facilities around the world, including Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc., located in Swepsonville, North Carolina. Research, development, and testing activities are conducted at Honda R&D Americas, Inc., also located in Swepsonville, and Honda R&D Co., Ltd., in Japan.

In 2004, Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc. (HPE) boosted its general purpose engine production to 1,500,000 engines per year - a significant increase from its prior production - for use by Honda and other OEMs. HPE also produces engines, lawnmowers, and other products using domestic and globally-sourced parts.

In addition to engines, HPE produces the Honda HRX™, Honda HRR, and Honda Commercial lawnmowers. Honda’s North Carolina Research and Development Center is an 11,000 square foot facility established in 1993 that conducts product engineering, prototype development, and testing of power equipment products.

New ad campaign presents the all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS and is an industry-first, featuring a three-minute movie commercial scheduled to debut during the Black Entertainment Television Awards pre-show today.
Partner 30- and 15-second spots will air on select television stations beginning today.
MadCrazyLove touts the dynamic design, business-class comfort, smooth driving experience and in-car communication features of the new Lincoln MKS.
DEARBORN, Mich., June 24, 2008– Taking a significant leap from the traditional 30- and 60-second broadcast advertising model, luxury automaker Lincoln is delivering a first this week with the national television launch of a three-minute movie featuring the all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS.

Shot on location in Hollywood Hills, MadCrazyLove is a three-minute commercial, with accompanying 30- and 15-second spots, that introduces the newest member of the Lincoln family – the 2009 Lincoln MKS – against the backdrop of a fun, romantic story.

The new three-minute spot makes its television debut today during the Black Entertainment Television Awards pre-show. Following the show, the movie will live online at www.lincoln.com and www.lincolnlounge.com.

The 30- and 15-second spots will begin airing today on select cable television and nationally syndicated programs. National print and digital media are included in the media mix and scheduled for rotation beginning in July.

“Studies continue to show that Americans are embracing the Internet in a bigger way and are looking beyond sound bites for broader stories,” says Lincoln Communications Manager Tom Grill. “As this advertising model changes, Lincoln will continue to design fresh and innovative advertising that is hard-hitting and relevant. MadCrazyLove accomplishes just that and introduces our new Lincoln MKS in a fun, yet meaningful way.”

MadCrazyLove – The Movie

Sultry, soft sounds from the legendary Marvin Gaye, a dark, dusky evening, the smooth ride and distinct styling of the 2009 Lincoln MKS luxury sedan set the mood for the story.

MadCrazyLove takes the viewer on a romantic journey that at first glance appears to be centered on a couple’s first encounter. Moving through vibrant images at a cocktail party, cruising through the streets and scenic hills of Hollywood, stopping off for a bite at a local dive, the couple enjoys the simplicity of the evening and the amenities of the Lincoln MKS. As the couple’s evening together marches towards a final scene, the story takes a sudden and unexpected twist that viewers will have to see to enjoy.

Three partner 30-second and one 15-second television teaser spots provide a peek into the MadCrazyLove story, and further details the features of the new MKS, including the sophisticated technology, dynamic design and smooth driving experience.

The 30-second Something Warmer spot showcases the unique craftsmanship of the vehicle’s interior, its fine materials including genuine wood, metal and leather; the 30-second Dual-Moon highlights the dual-panel moonroof, SYNC in-car communication and the split grille design; the 30-second IP touts the next-generation voice-activated navigation and Sirius Travel Link™. The 15-second MadCrazy features the available 20-inch wheels and luxury touch technology.

MadCrazyLove was created by UniWorld Group Inc., the African American Agency of Record for Lincoln.

The 2009 Lincoln MKS

The all-new 2009 Lincoln will begin arriving in dealerships across North America by the end of June. Dynamic and clean-lined, the flagship Lincoln MKS is the first production vehicle to embrace the Lincoln design DNA introduced on the Lincoln MKR concept in 2007.

Priced just more than $38,000 including destination, the vehicle is loaded with class-exclusive features and options, such as the industry-exclusive SYNC, Easy Fuel™ Capless Fuel Filler System, SecuriCode™ Next-Generation Keypad, a premium THX-certified audio system, 20-inch wheels, heated rear seats and the voice-activated navigation system with SIRIUS Travel Link.

The Lincoln MKS is powered by a Lincoln-exclusive 3.7-liter V-6 engine mated with a fuel-efficient six-speed transmission. The powertrain has been derived from the proven 3.5-liter V-6 found in the Lincoln MKX, which was voted one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines for 2007.

Efficiency of a six-speed manual with the convenience of an auto
As light and sporty as a manual gearbox
Available on Focus and C-MAX
On-the-road prices from £18,195
BRENTWOOD, Essex, 23 June, 2008 – Ford Motor Company has added a high-tech new automatic transmission to its line-up, one which achieves the fuel economy of a manual gearbox but with the comfort and convenience of a normal auto.

Called “PowerShift”, the new lightweight transmission uses the latest electronically-controlled twin-clutch technology to change gear, and therefore does not need the complex and weighty sub-systems such as torque converter or planetary gears of regular auto boxes.

Not only efficient, the new six-speed PowerShift is simple to use and yet with a sporty personality. Both up and down-shifts are executed faster than normal auto gearboxes, and faster than drivers can achieve with a manual.

PowerShift is available on either the Ford Focus or C-MAX ranges and with the 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine. Two states of tune are available, 136PS or 110PS. Regardless of power rating, body style or series, all Focus models equipped with PowerShift offer a combined fuel economy of 48.6mpg, with average CO2 emissions of just 154 g/km while C-MAX delivers 47.9mpg and 159g/km.
Driving with the Ford PowerShift transmission is as simple and easy as a conventional automatic transmission. The system uses a standard automatic gear lever in the centre console with the usual P, R, N and D settings. The gear lever can also be moved laterally to a parallel gate should the driver choose a sportier style and the option of shifting manually.