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Goodyear Aligns Global OE Support

14 July 1998

Goodyear Aligns Global OE Support to Maximize Regional Strengths

    AKRON, Ohio, July 14 -- Goodyear is realigning its original
equipment tire sales and support processes to focus on the global needs of the
world's automobile manufacturers, the company announced today.
    Assigned global responsibility for auto manufacturers headquartered in
their respective regions are Bryan L. Kinnamon, vice president of OE sales
North America; Jan Berckholtz, director of OE sales, consumer tires Europe and
Hidesato Ishikawa, president of Goodyear Japan.
    "We truly believe in being as close to the customer as possible.  This
service structure will allow us to maximize business relationships with each
individual OE account's global needs," said Goodyear chairman and CEO Samir
Gibara.
    "Major OE companies, such as GM in the USA, Mercedes in Europe or Toyota
in Japan, increasingly organize their tire requirements from their 'home'
base, even though they have manufacturing facilities around the world.  The
executives we have put in place will be as close to our customers' home
countries as possible, but with the authority to manage their global needs,"
Gibara added.
    This realignment comes in conjunction with the elimination of the position
of vice president of OE sales worldwide.
    Each of the three newly-assigned global OE executives, Kinnamon,
Berckholtz and Ishikawa will continue to report to the leaders of their
strategic business units in North America, Europe and Asia.
    Bryan L. Kinnamon was named vice president of Goodyear's original
equipment business for North America tires in August, 1997.
    Previously he had been marketing director of consumer tires for Goodyear's
North American tire group since November, 1996.  He has held several marketing
and technical managerial positions throughout his 30-year career with
Goodyear.
    Jan Berckholtz, who is based at Goodyear's European headquarters in
Luxembourg, joined the company in 1978 and has had a number of assignments,
including management of truck, farm and earthmover product groups.
    Hidesato Ishikawa graduated from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, with a
BA in Economics in 1963.  Hidesato joined Goodyear Japan in 1994 as vice
president, sales and marketing and was appointed president in 1997.