Volkswagen of America announced Wednesday that it plans to open a fifth regional sales office in the Dallas area in an effort to strengthen the company’s relationships with customers and dealers.

The company also noted the expansion “will help facilitate future growth and employment opportunities, while better serving the needs of its retail network in key markets.” 

Set to open in January 2012, the Dallas office, to be designated as the South Central Region, will support approximately 96 dealers in 16 states, including Texas. VW expects the office to create more than 20 new jobs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Further delving into the reasons behind the expansion, the company noted VW’s sales are up 20.7 percent following seven straight months of double-digit sales growth, spurring the need for an additional sales region.

Commenting on the addition of the new South Central Regional office, Jonathan Browning, president and chief executive officer of Volkswagen of America, said, "As Volkswagen’s sales continue to climb following the official opening of our new U.S. plant in Chattanooga, and as our vehicle line-up expands with the launch of new products like the 2012 Passat and Beetle, it is imperative that we maintain a strong connection with our customers and dealer body.

"The investment in the new South Central Region will help ensure that we continue to equip our dealers with the necessary tools to provide the highest levels of quality and service to our growing customer base,” he added.

Also of note, the new sales office will welcome Joe Vignone as its regional director to lead the company’s South Central Region.

Vignone, who was previously the general manager responsible for the brand’s dealer network development activities, will report to Frank Trivieri, VW’s vice president of sales.

The new regional director will be responsible for managing and enhancing sales operations, strengthening local dealer relations and promoting the brand on a regional level, officials noted.

Before joining VW, Vignone held positions in the construction equipment industry, serving as vice president of North American sales for JCB. Prior to that, Vignone spent 18 years with Ford in marketing and sales operations.

In other company news, Volkswagen Credit announced its new president and chief executive officer earlier this week to replace the retiring Kevin Kelly. Promoted to the position is Andrew Stuart, currently the executive vice president and chief financial officer, a position he has held since 2009.

For more information on the new hire, see the Auto Remarketing story here.