Keegan: Edouard Michelin will be missed as a person and a competitor

May 31, 2006

"The industry has lost a good friend and a great leader with the tragic and untimely death of Edouard Michelin," says Bob Keegan, chairman, CEO and president of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

Michelin died in a fishing boat accident last Friday. His funeral mass will be held today in Clermont-Ferrand, France, where Groupe Michelin headquarters is located.

"Not only was Edouard a strong competitor, but also a great collaborator in variety of initiatives to further the contribution of our industry to society," says Keegan. "He also was a man of total integrity, and above all, a man who loved his family.

"On behalf of everyone at Goodyear, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the entire Michelin family. Edouard will be missed by many."