Hara out, Yamaguchi in at Bridgestone R&D center in Akron

Sept. 1, 2006

Yutaka Yamaguchi will replace Hideo "Hank" Hara at Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC's technical center in Akron, Ohio.

Hara, who serves as executive vice president, tire development and technology for BFNT, will be returning to parent company Bridgestone Corp.'s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 16. (Hara also is a member of Bridgestone's board of directors.)

In Japan, he will take the position of Bridgestone vice president and officer, original equipment tire sales and motorsports. He assumed his current post in 2001.

Yamaguchi is currently the director of tire development at Bridgestone. When he takes over for Hara, he also will be elected to the boards of directors of both BFNT and parent company, Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc.

Both Hara and Yamaguchi have been with Bridgestone since 1977.