Cooper Tire Names Dattilo as President and COO

28 December 1998

Cooper Tire Names Dattilo to New Position of President and Chief Operating Officer

    FINDLAY, Ohio--Dec. 28, 1998--Cooper Tire & Rubber Company today announced the appointment of Thomas A. Dattilo to the newly created position of president and chief operating officer.
    Mr. Dattilo will assume his responsibilities as of January 4, 1999 and will report directly to Patrick W. Rooney, Cooper's chairman of the board and chief executive officer. In turn, Cooper's tire and engineered products divisions, information systems and strategic planning group will report directly to Mr. Dattilo.
    Mr. Dattilo was formerly president, sealing products for the Dana Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, one of the world's largest manufacturers of components and systems for the aftermarket vehicle and industrial sectors. At Dana, he successfully drove both internal growth and acquisitions. His background includes a wide range of experience and direct supervision for plant management, engineering, finance, human resources, quality and international business.
    Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Rooney said, "We are extremely pleased to have Tom Dattilo join the Cooper team and help manage the many opportunities available for our company in the coming years. His expertise in both the original equipment and aftermarket sector of the automotive parts business, the two key areas in which Cooper operates, perfectly complement our existing management team. We expect his background and experience will be critical in our plans for success in the next century."
    A native of Akron, Ohio, Dattilo, 47, earned a B.A. from The Ohio State University and a J.D. from The University of Toledo. He also completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. He is a member of the Young President's Organization (YPO) and is past chairman of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association.
    Dattilo joined Dana in 1977 as a member of the corporate legal staff with a focus on acquisitions and due diligence projects associated with a wide range of acquisitions. In 1982, he moved to Dana's financial group in their insurance operations. From 1985 through 1997, Dattilo held positions of vice president and general manager of Dana's Precision Controls Division in Laurinburg, North Carolina; president and chief executive officer of Hayes-Dana Inc., in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada; president of Victor Reinz Products, North America in Lisle, Illinois. In December, 1997, Dattilo was named to his most recent position as president of the sealing products group in Toledo, Ohio, a core product unit for Dana with sales of $800 million.
    Founded in 1914, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is the fourth largest tire manufacturer in the U.S. and the eighth largest worldwide. Also a leading manufacturer of vibration control systems, automotive sealing, hose and hose assemblies for light vehicles, Cooper-produced components are found on all of the top ten best-selling vehicles in the U.S. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.coopertire.com.