Westport Announces Thomas Rippon as Vice President, Mining and Rail

Published: September 16, 2013

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VANCOUVER, BC – Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT / NASDAQ:WPRT), engineering the world's most advanced natural gas engines and systems, today announced the appointment of Thomas Rippon to the position of Vice President, Mining and Rail, at Westport.

"Thomas brings excellent credentials in implementing operations in geographic markets that are key for Westport's off-road application programs," said Nancy Gougarty, President and COO of Westport. "His experience as a senior executive at a global original equipment manufacturer will support our priority to commercialize products that drive us toward profitability."

According to industry statistics and Westport analysis, global heavy off-road applications use more than 24 billion gallons of diesel each year, creating an attractive opportunity for significant cost savings and reduced emissions by using natural gas.

Thomas's experience includes an extensive tenure at General Motors in both North America and Asia. His career began in 1972 at General Motors on the assembly line, and from there he was successively promoted. From 2001 to 2006, Thomas held a number of executive roles responsible for powertrain activities, including building an engine plant capable of producing 350,000 engines per year. Thomas's most recent position at GM was Global Program Manager where he was responsible for managing five different joint ventures while overseeing more than $1 billion in capital investment. Most currently he has held the roles of Vice President Engineering, Vice President, and PMO at CODA Automotive, where he has had responsibility for program execution, standardizing process and procedures, and change management. He is active in his community and has served as a volunteer for organizations such as the American Women's Club, Boy Scouts of America, and YMCA.

As Vice President, Mining and Rail, Thomas will be assuming some of the responsibilities of Nick Sonntag, Executive Vice President of Westport and President, Westport Asia, who retired as of September 13, 2013. Nick joined Westport in September 2006 and was responsible for the growth and development of Westport's emerging OEM global partnerships.

"I wish to thank Nick for his seven years of contribution to Westport," said David Demers, CEO of Westport Innovations. "We will miss Nick's energy and we wish him well in his retirement."

About Westport Fuel Systems

At Westport Fuel Systems, we are driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. We are a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global automotive industry. Our technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America and South America, we serve our customers in more than 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. At Westport Fuel Systems, we think ahead. For more information, visit www.wfsinc.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Note: This document contains forward-looking statements about Westport’s business, operations, technology development or the environment in which it operates, which are based on Westport’s estimates, forecasts and projections. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, or are beyond Westport’s control. Consequently, readers should not place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. In addition, these forward-looking statements relate to the date on which they are made. Westport disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.