Effective June 1, 2003, Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) will consist of four business units: Consumer Replacement Tire, Consumer OE Tire, Truck and Bus Tires, and Off-Road Products.
BFNT also has assigned business leaders to each unit.
* the Consumer Replacement unit will focus on passenger and light truck tire sales and marketing to the replacement market, including sales to dealers, company-owned stores and corporate accounts. It will be led by John Gamauf, president, Consumer Replacement Tire;
* the Consumer OE Tire unit services light vehicle original equipment manufacturers with sales, technical and engineering support. It will be led by Mike Martini, president, Consumer OE Tire;
* the Truck and Bus Tires unit is responsible for all aspects of BFNT's truck and bus tire sales and marketing operations, including dealer, fleet, OE and mileage. It will be led by Singh Ahluwalia, president, Truck and Bus Tires;
* the Off-Road Products unit consists of BFNT's farm, off-the-road and tube businesses. It will be led by Ralph Burchfield, president, Off-Road Products.
Leaders for each group will report to BFNT Chairman, CEO and President Mark Emkes.
The company's Sales Engineering division and Supply, Planning and Sourcing unit also will report to Emkes.
"Each of these changes has been made to recognize that the customer is our ultimate boss," says Emkes, "and that the business unit leader understands that he has both the accountability and the authority to make his unit a success."
