As of Dec. 1, the Volvo Group and its North American operations have formalized a presence in Washington, D.C. to support and complement business development, and communications efforts.
The Washington Office is part of Volvo Group North America Inc. and is responsible for:
• Detection and pursuit of business opportunities for Volvo Group companies within the federal government and other Washington-based institutions;
• Intelligence-gathering and reporting systems to monitor government and regulatory developments in Washington of vital interest to the Volvo Group; and
• Development and communication of Volvo’s position on matters of public policy.
Volvo’s senior representative in Washington, D.C. is Bjorn Ahlstrom, who has been appointed chairman of Volvo Group North America Inc. for a two-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2001.
Ahlstrom will represent the Volvo Group in North America before federal and state government officials as well as other, high-level target groups.
He will be based in the New York office of Volvo Group North America Inc. and will work out of both the New York and Washington offices.
Since retiring from Volvo North America Corporation, where he served as president and CEO from 1971 to 1991, Ahlstrom serves as a director of Volvo Trucks North America Inc., Volvo Construction Equipment North America Inc., Mack Trucks Inc., and Petro Stopping Centers Inc — all companies within the Volvo Group.
During the start-up phase, the Washington office will be headed by Lars Bandling, presently senior vice president of Volvo Aero North America Inc.
Bandling, who has 13 years of experience working in Washington both within and outside of the Volvo Group, was scheduled to retire during 2001 but has agreed to remain in the Volvo Group through June 2002 as senior vice president, Government Relations and Public Affairs, Volvo Group North America Inc.
Working with Bandling during this phase will be Thomas Clifford, vice president, Corporate Communications of Volvo Group North America Inc.
Clifford has worked in various marketing and communications capacities within Volvo in the United States for 18 years. He will take over full responsibility for the office upon Bandling’s retirement.
