The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has reorganized its government affairs function. Effective immediately, Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield will assume day-to-day control of TIA’s government affairs activities.
Paul Fiore, TIA's director of government and business relations, has left the association.
Littlefield is a veteran policy expert, with more than 35 years of experience working to influence legislation at the state and federal levels. After gaining four years of Capitol Hill experience on the staffs of United State Senator Thomas McIntyre and Sergeant-at-Arms F. Nordy Hoffman, Littlefield joined the former National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (NTDRA) in 1979 as director of government affairs.
His experience at NTDRA includes work on several successful legislative efforts, including voluntary tire registration and a tax credit for rubber lost in the retreading process. In 1984, Littlefield came to the American Retreaders Association (the predecessor to the International Tire & Rubber Association, or ITRA) and was a key contributor to the industry’s efforts to:
* restructure the federal excise tax on truck tires, and
* eliminate the federal excise tax on new passenger tires.
In addition to being heavily involved in TIA’s lobbying activities, Littlefield has held the part-time position of director of government affairs for the association since 1984, through its evolution from the NTDRA to the Tire Association of North America (which was the merger between NTDRA and ITRA) to TIA.
“I look forward to devoting more of my time to the important work of ensuring that the tire industry continues to be well-represented in the halls of power,” says Littlefield. “Government affairs has always been a top priority of TIA, and TIA members can rest assured that they will continue to receive the same top-notch representation they have always received.”
Also as part of the reorganization, Amy Bagley is leaving her role as director of business development.
Sandra Martinez, TIA's director of operations, will manage TIA’s grants activity, which was Bagley's responsibility, in the short term.
Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of education and technical services, will take over in the long term.
For more information on TIA, visit www.tireindustry.org.
