Goodyear Names Cathryn Fischer to Lead Global Marketing and Brand Management

    AKRON, Ohio, April 2 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
has elected Cathryn M. Fischer, vice president and chief marketing officer.
She will report to Robert J. Keegan, president and chief operating officer
    Fischer, 39, will be responsible for the world's largest tiremaker's
global marketing and brand management efforts.
    "Cathy has an exceptional background in consumer product marketing and has
successfully managed some of the world's most-famous brands in highly
competitive markets including Crest, Pantene, Head & Shoulders and
Rubbermaid," Keegan said in making the announcement.  "I'm excited that she
will be bringing this skill and knowledge to work in support of the world's
No. 1 tire company."
    "Goodyear's strengths -- its strong brand names and its technological and
manufacturing expertise -- are very attractive assets from a marketing
perspective," Fischer said.  "We intend to capitalize on these to create
additional brand equity, top-line growth and enhanced shareholder value."
    Fischer joins Goodyear from Newell-Rubbermaid Inc., where she was vice
president of marketing for its largest business, the Rubbermaid Home Products
group.  She joined Rubbermaid in 1997 as chief marketing officer of its core
home products business.  Rubbermaid was acquired by Newell Corp. in 1999.
    At Rubbermaid, Fischer directed marketing efforts for 14 different product
categories that included upwards of 1,500 different products sold in seven
unique trade channels.  Rubbermaid is the strongest brand in housewares, and
during Fischer's tenure, its brand image and preference increased as the
result of two successful marketing campaigns.
    Prior to that, Fischer worked 14 years in marketing and general management
positions at The Proctor & Gamble Co.  Most recently, she spent two years as
general manager of its cosmetics and fragrances business.  She worked on the
Max Factor, Oil of Olay and Cover Girl cosmetics lines, as well as Navy and
other fragrances.
    She joined P&G in 1983 as assistant brand manager for Pert shampoo and was
promoted to brand manager for Head & Shoulders shampoo in 1986.  Two years
later, Fischer was named brand manager of Crest toothpaste.  From 1991-1995,
Fischer was marketing director of P&G's hair care business, in which she
managed the Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Ivory and Prell brands.
    A native of Columbus, Ohio, Fischer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
business management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Miami
University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1983.  She is a resident of Copley, Ohio.
    Goodyear is the world's largest tire company.  Headquartered in Akron,
Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals
in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries.  It has marketing operations in
almost every country around the world.  Goodyear employs more than 105,000
people worldwide.  For more information about the company, and a photo of
Fischer, visit http://www.GoodyearNewsRoom.com on the Internet.