Bridgestone/Firestone (BFS) Inc. has announced key organizational changes in its Consumer Tire Division.
Starting Dec. 1, 2001, BFS is splitting the United States market into two geographic regions, North (headquartered in Chicago, Ill.) and South (based in Dallas, Texas).
BFS will close its consumer region sales offices in Philadelphia, Pa., and Los Angeles, Calif.
The tiremaker will create a third wholesale region that will be headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.
"We recognize the different needs and requirements of retail and wholesale dealers," says Jerry Cash, BFS national director of business development. "Our new organization will meet those different needs and will serve our customers more effectively and efficiently."
BFS also has made several appointments:
* Bill Pransky, currently BFS' Midwest Region manager, becomes new Northern Retail Region manager;
* Steve Rammer, currently BFS' associate brand manager, Southern Region, becomes new Southern Retail Region manager;
* Carl Douglass, currently Southern Region manager, becomes manager of the newly formed, Nashville-based wholesale region. He joins John Barratta and Rudy Beech, wholesale region managers also located in Nashville.
Pransky and Rammer will be responsible for all direct retail dealers in their respective areas.
In a related move, Tim Dunn, currently Northeast Region manager, has been promoted to national operations manager. Dunn will be responsible for the implementation and management of BFS national sales and marketing programs.
