Richard Smallwood, CEO and president of Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc., will give the keynote address at the Tire Industry Association (TIA) 2017 Tire Industry Honors ceremony on Oct. 30 in Las Vegas.
Smallwood’s speech will focus on the advent of driverless cars, how they will increase vehicle miles traveled, and how tire and auto part sizes are expected to be more uniform in size, which will significantly reduce inventory. By 2025, industry leaders are predicting 24 million driverless vehicles on the highway.
Smallwood has been in the tire and rubber industry for 30 years. His executive roles include president of sales and marketing and chief operating officer for Falken Tire Corp. He currently serves as an executive officer of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. and previously was a member of the board of directors for SRI Tire Trading Ltd.
“We are excited to have Richard speak at our 2017 Tire Industry Honors awards ceremony,” says Roy Littlefield, executive vice president of TIA. “Richard has proven himself as a selfless leader and key player within the tire industry and we are looking forward to having him join us, our honorees, members, and guests for an incredible evening.”
TIA’s Tire Industry Honors recognizes individuals who have significantly impacted the tire, rubber and transportation industries.
Register online for the 2017 Global Tire Expo. For more information on the Tire Industry Honors event, contact LeAnn Harley at [email protected].
