Kramer Named Goodyear's Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning & Restructuring

AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2003 -- Richard J. Kramer, vice president of finance for the company's North American Tire business unit, has been named senior vice president, strategic planning & restructuring for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Kramer, 39, who has been leading the finance team in Goodyear's largest business since July 2002, joined the company in March 2000 as vice president, corporate finance, after 13 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the world's largest professional services organization.

"Rich has been active in driving change in our organization and is recognized as an outstanding leader," said Robert J. Keegan, chairman and chief executive officer, to whom Kramer will report in his new position. "His experience, plus his deep knowledge of our company, makes him a valuable addition to our corporate leadership team as we build toward our 2005 objectives and turnaround."

Kramer joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1986 in Cleveland. He was based at the firm's Paris office from 1991 to 1994 and became a partner in 1998. He specialized in providing audit and business advisory services to Fortune 100 multi-national companies in the manufacturing, technology, retail and entertainment industries.

A Cleveland native, Kramer has a bachelor of science in business administration degree in accounting from John Carroll University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 85 facilities in 28 countries. It has marketing operations in almost every country around the world. Goodyear employs about 92,000 people worldwide.