The FINANCIAL -- Harley-Davidson President and Chief Executive Officer Keith E. Wandell will assume the additional duties of Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Wandell was named Chairman by Board action, according to Harley-Davidso.

Additionally, the Board named Richard I. Beattie as Lead Director. Beattie has been an outside director of Harley-Davidson since 1996. As Lead Director, Beattie will head the oversight and monitoring activities of the Board that would otherwise be performed by a non-executive Chairman.

Wandell joined Harley-Davidson in May 2009 as the Company’s first outside CEO since 1981. Beginning in fall 2009, the Company embarked on a major new strategy to focus exclusively on the Harley-Davidson brand and transform the Company’s approach to product development, manufacturing and the retail experience.

In other action, the Board approved a cash dividend of $0.155 per share for the first quarter of 2012. This represents a 24% increase over the Q4 2011 dividend ($.125) and a 55% increase over the Q1 2011 dividend ($.100). The dividend is payable March 2, 2012, to the holders of record of the Company's common stock on February 21, 2012.

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