AGE: 50.

WHERE BORN: Central Connecticut.

LIVES IN: Orange County, Calif.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Stanford University, 1983; master's degree in management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1988.

CURRENT POSITION: U.S. CEO, Hyundai Motor Co., since 2008.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Vice president of product development and strategic planning, Hyundai Motor America, 2004-2008. Product development executive, engineer, Ford Motor Co. 1990-2004. Manufacturing engineer, New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., a factory jointly run by Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Co., 1984-1986.

PERSONAL: Married with two children. Son in college, daughter in high school.

FIRST THING HE DOES IN THE MORNING: Coffee and breakfast; reads The Wall Street Journal.

WHAT HE DOES AFTER WORK: Runs or works out.

WHAT HE'S READING: "The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin."

HOBBIES: Running, music.

IN HIS OFFICE: Three prints from event launching the Hyundai Veloster hatchback at a Portland, Ore., music festival.

WHAT HE'S DRIVING: 2012 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec performance luxury car; 2006 Porsche 911 C2S sports car; 2001 Caterham Super 7 roadster.

FAVORITE ROAD-TRIP CAR: Air-cooled Volkswagen Westfalia Microbus.