TIA Names Dick Gust its New CEO

Oct. 28, 2021

After an extensive search, The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has named Dick Gust its new CEO, effective Jan. 1. He replaces longtime TIA CEO Dr. Roy Littlefield, who is retiring.

Gust served as TIA's president in 2005 and also has served on the association's board. 

He is a recent past chair of TIA’s government affairs committee, where he worked extensively on public policy issues affecting the tire industry. In 2016, he was inducted into the Tire Industry Hall of Fame.

He also was instrumental in negotiations leading to the merger of  the Tire Association of North America and the International Tire and Rubber Association, which created TIA in 2002.

Gust currently chairs TIA's Environmental Advisory Council and is president of national account sales and director of government affairs for Liberty Tire Recycling. 

Prior to his role at Liberty, Gust was president of Lakin Environmental Industries, where he oversaw various aspects of operations, including retreading and remanufacturing, scrap tire collection and scrap tire processing.

“We are pleased with the selection of Dick as the next chief executive of TIA,” says TIA President Dan Nothdurft, who led the CEO search. 

“He brings an extensive background to the position, including more than 25 years of volunteer service with TIA and other industry organizations, in addition to a successful private sector career. We are confident he will continue the tremendous growth experienced by the organization during Roy Littlefield’s tenure.”

Littlefield has held the CEO position at TIA for the past 18 years and has worked for the organization and its predecessors for more than 40 years.

“I am both humbled and excited to be selected as the next TIA CEO,” says Gust. “As we begin the association’s second hundred years, we will build on TIA’s solid history of industry leadership, look to develop additional innovative programs to increase tire safety, remain a strong advocate for our members at all levels of government and keep pace with innovation.

"Roy Littlefield and the TIA staff have created a solid foundation on which to build and fresh ideas from our board of directors will ensure valuable benefits for our members for years to come.”

Gust will work out of TIA’s office in Bowie, Md.

Latest in People

Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc.
Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc.
Yokohama Tire Corp.