---

Goodyear Repeats as Most Admired in Rubber/Plastics Industry

15 February 1999

Goodyear Repeats as Most Admired in Rubber/Plastics Industry

    AKRON, Ohio, Feb. 15 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., for
the second year in a row, has earned top honors in the Rubber and Plastics
Products industry category of "Fortune" magazine's list of "America's Most
Admired Companies."
    The magazine will publish its 17th annual corporate reputation survey in
its March 1 issue.  Within its industry, Goodyear took top honors in six of
the eight measured attributes and second-place in two.
    "Recognition such as this is proof that Goodyear is well on its way to
regain its position as the best tire and rubber company in the world," said
Goodyear Chairman Samir G. Gibara.
    "Our return to the top resulted from a total team effort, a world-class
performance by our dedicated, focused global team."
    Goodyear, on Feb. 3, announced that a global alliance with Japan's
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. would restore its status as the world's
largest tiremaker.
    The "Fortune" list was compiled through a survey of more than
12,000 senior executives, outside directors and financial analysts.  They
evaluated 476 "Fortune 1,000" companies on eight key attributes of reputation:
innovativeness, quality of management, employee talent, quality of products,
long-term investment value, financial soundness, social responsibility and use
of corporate assets.