New Vice President of Public Affairs for BFS
13 August 1998
New Vice President of Public Affairs for BFS
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(AutomotiveWire)--Aug. 13, 1998-- Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. (BFS) announced today that Christine Karbowiak, presently general counsel-corporate and international and assistant secretary of BFS, is appointed vice president public affairs.Karbowiak will assume the responsibilities, including chairman of the BFS Trust Fund, currently held by Trevor Hoskins, senior vice president public affairs, who retires at the end of September.
In a reorganization of the company's public affairs and public relations activities, BFS also announced that John Taylor, presently manager public relations, is appointed director of public relations and Woody McMillin, currently manager public relations Firestone brand, will assume the additional responsibilities of motorsports public relations.
Taylor will report to Karbowiak and McMillin will report to Al Speyer, Director of Motorsports for motorsports-related activities.
Karbowiak, 45, joined BFS in 1992 as senior counsel for retail operations in Rolling Meadows, Ill. In 1994, she was promoted to assistant general counsel for retail operations where she was responsible for the areas of commercial transactions, real estate and environmental compliance. In 1997, she was promoted to her present position in Nashville. She has both a law degree and a degree in journalism from the University of Illinois.
Taylor, 43, who joined BFS in 1990, oversees the marketing public relations activities for Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Sales Company. These include the creation and implementation of PR strategies for Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton consumer and commercial tires.
McMillin, 45, joined BFS in 1996 after serving six years as an account supervisor with Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence, the company's Nashville-basd public relations agency. McMillin deals primarily with consumer tire products and the racing programs where he is assisted by Mark Robinson, an Indianapolis-based consultant.
Kenji Shibata, president of BFS, said, "Karbowiak brings considerable business experience to this position and, together with Taylor and our strong public relations team, will enthusiastically handle all BFS public relations and public affairs activities. The decision to consolidate racing-related public relations activities directly within the motorsports division is intended to further improve coordination of our very successful racing program."
Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. (the largest subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp.), develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, private brand and house brand tires, as well as a wide range of industrial and synthetic rubber goods.
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the largest tire and rubber company in the world. It produces a complete line of tires which account for 78 percent of its sales worldwide. It also manufactures a wide range of diversified products which include industrial rubber, chemical products, sporting goods and others. These products are sold in more than 150 nations and territories around the world.