Crown Equipment Corporation, an international manufacturing company headquartered in New Bremen, Ohio, has announced the appointment of Jim Dicke III as the company President.

Jim Dicke III joined Crown as the Vice President of Human Resources and has been serving as the company’s Executive Vice President since 2000. Before joining Crown, Dicke was an officer at Frost National Bank in San Antonio, Texas. He is a graduate of Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana and Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Jim and his wife, Katy, live in New Bremen and have two children.

Jim Dicke II, who has been the company’s President since 1980, will remain active in the business as Chairman and CEO. He says, "I am very pleased with this development. Jim will be an outstanding President. Under his leadership, I’m confident that Crown will continue to grow and make progress. He will be the fourth generation of the Dicke family, which owns Crown, to serve as the company’s President."

The fifth largest manufacturer of material handling equipment in the world, Crown manufactures and distributes a wide range of electric lift trucks well-known for their quality and design. In 2003, the company will mark its 58th year in operation.