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Firestone Industrial Products Announces Gary Reynolds Retirement
Michael Cerio to succeed Reynolds as President of unit
CARMEL, Ind. (June 5, 2003)–BFS Diversified Products, LLC
(BFDP) today announced that Gary Reynolds, president of Firestone
Industrial Products (FSIP), a business unit of BFDP headquartered
in Carmel, Ind., has elected to retire from the company on June 30,
2003. Succeeding Reynolds as president of FSIP on July 1, 2003, will
be Michael Cerio, presently executive director, consumer corporate
accounts, Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC, (BFNT)
a sister company of BFDP.
Reynolds, an Indiana native, joined the Firestone Tire & Rubber
Company in 1963 as a sales engineer trainee after graduating from
Rose Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering.
He held various assignments of increasing responsibility during his
40 year tenure with FSIP, including senior sales engineer; sales
manager, original equipment air spring sales; manager, international
operations; and division manager. He was appointed to his present
position as president, FSIP, in 2000.
Cerio, originally from New York, graduated from Syracuse University
in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
That same year he began his career with the Firestone Tire & Rubber
Company in Akron, Ohio, as a development engineering trainee. Working
his way up through the organization, Cerio has served in many different
parts of the business including senior engineer, race tires; project
engineer, passenger tire development/replacement tire engineering;
senior sales engineer, original equipment sales; director, high performance
business operations; manager, Bridgestone brand marketing; and director,
corporate accounts. He became executive director BFNT consumer corporate
accounts in 2000.
John Lampe, president, CEO and chairman of BFDP as well as that
company’s parent, Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., said, “All
of us in the Bridgestone Americas family thank Gary for his loyalty
and service to our company, and we wish him well in his retirement.
I know that I speak for the entire BFDP team when I say we will miss
his warmth, vision and ability to make things happen.”
“We are fortunate to have someone of Mike’s caliber
ready and able to step up to this challenging position,” continued
Lampe. “I strongly believe that his combination of engineering,
marketing and sales skills will be very valuable as he takes the
helm at FSIP and these diverse experiences will be a tremendous asset
during these challenging economic times.”
Firestone Industrial Products, headquartered in Carmel, Ind., with
facilities in three states, is the leading manufacturer of air springs
for truck and automobiles. Its Airide brand air springs can be found
as original equipment on such vehicles as the Lincoln Town Car and
Freightliner, Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks and most semi-trailers
in the United States.
Carmel, Ind.-based BFS Diversified Products, LLC is a subsidiary
of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent, Bridgestone
Corporation of Japan, is the world’s largest tire and rubber
company. BFDP businesses include the development, production and
sale of market-leading commercial building and roofing products,
industrial products (including air springs for trucks, trailers and
other industrial applications), synthetic and natural rubber and
fibers and textiles arenas.
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