Fagel will be responsible for the company's telematics initiatives, which include the products, services, and support systems that help deliver information, communications, and entertainment to vehicles through mobile navigation devices. He has a broad background in advanced vehicle location technologies and automotive security and electronics on the corporate side, and as a consultant, entrepreneur, and journalist.

"Barnet's appointment to this key position represents a major commitment by Navigation Technologies to the emerging business-to-business markets for telematics," states Szumilas. "This area represents an important growth opportunity for Navigation Technologies to leverage its international leadership in the uses and applications for navigable map databases."

Prior to joining Navigation Technologies, Fagel was a consultant at Auto Security Consultants, Inc. since 1993, which provides mobile electronic protection and vehicle location technologies to the automotive industry. Before that, he served as a product manager for the stolen vehicle location division of International Teletrac Systems, Inc.

From 1978–1990, Fagel owned and operated Mr. Alarm, Inc. — an automotive security and consulting firm whose customers ranged from individual consumers to corporations, the latter including General Motors' Chevrolet division and the American Broadcasting Corporation, among other major organizations.

Earlier, Fagel held various positions with increasing responsibility at such companies as Beatrice Foods Corp., Anixter Corp., and Hitachi International.

Fagel, who studied journalism at the University of Los Angeles and business administration at Wright College, is a certified master security technician. Among his long list of accomplishments, Fagel has authored more than 100 articles on auto security for major car and electronics publications, served as a moderator for numerous industry panels, and has been an expert witness in litigation and arbitration matters concerning auto security and patent infringements. His television screen credits include co-authoring an episode of the 1980's TV show CHIPS.

Fagel is a founding member and past president of the Vehicle Security Association, which later became the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association, Mobile Electronics Division. He also was one of the founders of the Mobile Electronics Certification Professional Program (MECP) for mobile electronic installers and technicians. Fagel will continue writing his monthly columns in both CAR SOUND and AUTOMEDIA magazines.

Link for more info: www.navtech.com