Bridgestone/Firestone Announces Jorge Gonzalez Promotion
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 19, 2002)– Bridgestone/Firestone
Americas Holding, Inc, (BFAH) today announced that Jorge Gonzalez, president
of the company’s Mexican subsidiary, has been promoted to Executive
Vice President of BFAH and appointed President of Bridgestone/Firestone
Latin American Tire Operations (BFLA). BFLA, based in Nashville, Tenn.,
is an operating unit of BFAH comprised of the company’s six Latin
American subsidiaries. The appointment is effective immediately. Gonzalez
succeeds Mark Emkes, who was elected to the concurrent positions of Chairman,
CEO and President of Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC.
John Lampe, CEO, Chairman and President of BFAH, pointed
to Gonzalez “broad range of experience and excellent ‘people
skills’ as factors that will serve Jorge and our company well in
his new position, as he works to continue our strong progress in making
our Latin American businesses a source of sustainable pride and profits
for Bridgestone/Firestone.”
Gonzalez, 54, a native of Cuba, graduated from the
University of Akron in 1971 with a Bachelors degree in Accounting. A
thirty-four year veteran with the company, he joined the former Firestone
Tire & Rubber Company in Akron as a computer operator. During his
career he has held positions of increasing responsibilities in the United
States and internationally including assignments as a retail store manager
(Miami, Fla), assistant controller (Sao Paulo, Brazil and Madrid, Spain)
and controller (Basel, Switzerland and Mexico City, Mexico). His two
most recent assignments were as President of Bridgestone/Firestone Venezolana
C.A. (1996 – 2001) and Bridgestone/Firestone de Mexico, S.A. de
C.V. (2001 – present). Under his leadership, both the Venezuelan
and Mexican operations have received numerous quality awards, including
GM’s 2001 Supplier of the Year award presented to Bridgestone/Firestone’s
Mexican operation in May, 2002.
“I have enjoyed my time in Mexico and in all
my international assignments and I will miss the hands-on, day-to-day
responsibility of running a business,” said Gonzalez. “However,
I look forward to continuing and building on the strategy that has been
developed to address the needs of each of the six local tire markets
that comprise BFLA while balancing our company’s global tire supply
requirements.”
Nashville-based Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. is
a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire
and rubber company. BFAH, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures
and markets a wide range of tires to address the needs of a broad range
of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle
original equipment manufacturers and those in the agricultural, forestry
and mining industries. The companies also produce Firestone air springs,
roofing materials, synthetic rubber, and industrial fibers and textiles
and operate the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and services
centers. Bridgestone/Firestone Latin American Tire Operations is an operating
unit of BFAH comprised tire manufacturing and sales subsidiaries located
in Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. |
