Novotny to Lead Tire Makers Global Engineering & Manufacturing Technology

AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 1, 2003 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Robert A. Novotny to the position of vice president, Global Engineering & Manufacturing Technology, effective today.

In this role, Novotny will report to Joseph M. Gingo, executive vice president, Quality Systems & chief technical officer, and Chris W. Clark, senior vice president, Global Sourcing.

"Bob is a natural choice to lead our GE&MT function," Gingo said. "His extensive experience in engineering and manufacturing leadership will be a considerable asset as he manages our global process engineering, manufacturing technology and engineering business standards functions in this new role."

Novotny, 48, replaces Ernest J. Rodia, who is retiring after 37 years with Goodyear. Rodia, 60, had served as the group's vice president since February 2001.

"Ernie has made countless contributions to Goodyear during his career, and his knowledge and insight have been valuable to our company," said Gingo. "I thank him for his service to Goodyear."

Since 2000, Novotny has been director of global plant engineering and capital projects based at the company's headquarters in Akron.

He is a graduate of the West Virginia University with degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering. He joined Goodyear in 1978 as a development engineer. In 1981 he went to Taiwan to participate in the start up of a new facility, and later that year he became group leader for wire processing development in the company's Luxembourg Technical Center.

In 1984, Novotny left Luxembourg to become manager, Product Development and Reliability, at Goodyear's steel tire cord plant in Asheboro, N.C. He became Asheboro's operations manager in 1987. In 1991, he went to the company's Danville, Va., tire plant as business center manager.

Novotny was named production manager at the Napanee, Ont., tire plant in 1993, then maintained that title when he returned to Danville in 1995. He moved back to Asheboro in 1997, as plant manager. He subsequently became plant manager in Napanee from 1998-1999, and at the company's Union City, Tenn., tire plant from 1999-2000.

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. The company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 85 facilities in 28 countries around the world. Goodyear employs about 88,000 people worldwide.