Board Bouncing - Laskawy Goodyear To GM

AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 4, 2002; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today that Philip A. Laskawy, 61, has resigned from its board of directors to accept a position on the General Motors Corp. board. Laskawy, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Ernst & Young LLP, had been a member of Goodyear's board since August 2001.

As Goodyear is a major supplier to GM, Laskawy and Goodyear felt his position on the automaker's board could represent a conflict.

"I regret Phil's need to leave the board and thank him for the many contributions he has made over the last 16 months," said Sam G. Gibara, Goodyear's chairman and chief executive officer.

Goodyear's board now includes 11 members, 9 of who are independent.