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Bridgestone Firestone Announces Shelton AppointmentTire Veteran to Head Newly Created Logistics Supply Chain Management Function

MUSCATINE, Iowa (Oct.28, 2008) — Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) has announced that Steve W. Shelton, currently BFNT’s Vice President, Supply, Planning & Sourcing (SP&S), will assume leadership of a newly established department to be known as Logistics Supply Chain Management as of January 1, 2009. The new group will be a part of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), the newly announced integrated Americas tire business.

According to Asahiko “Duke” Nishiyama, President and Vice Chairman, BFNT and as of January 1, 2009, Chairman, CEO and President of BATO, this new group will integrate the supply, planning and sourcing functions with logistics, a configuration which will create efficiencies to better manage supply and demand, reduce or eliminate supply chain related costs, and assist in providing for quick and coordinated responses to market changes. In addition, this new alignment reflects industry trends which recognize the importance of a totally integrated supply chain.

“With his experience and strong team-building and analytical skills, Steve is an excellent candidate to assume these responsibilities,” commented Nishiyama. Shelton has worked in the tire industry since 1984, joining Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. in 1993 as a Senior Project Engineer in Nashville, Tenn. In 1994 he joined the company’s Wilson, N.C. plant, where he held positions of increasing responsibility including Division Leader Technical and Quality Assurance and Section Manager, Production. In 2002, Shelton accepted an assignment as Manager, Process Engineering Development (PED) in Nashville and was promoted to Director, PED Tire Development & Uniformity in 2005. He served as Director, Product/Process Strategic Marketing, Consumer Tire Sales, during 2007, and accepted his current assignment as Vice President, SP&S, at the beginning of this year. Shelton earned his bachelors degrees in physics and mathematics from Lynchburg College and his MBA from Duke University.

Shelton will report to Nick Zaitsu in his capacity as Executive Vice President, BATO. Reporting to Shelton in his new assignment will be: Phil Knopp, Director, Supply Chain Process and Integration; Richard Tucker, Sr. Manager, Inventory and Customer Relations; Kim Vo, Manager, Strategic Supply Planning; John Huffman, Manager, Commercial Supply Planning; Tom Seitz, General Manager, Transportation; Robert Gardenhire, General Manager, Warehousing; and Rick Burnett, Finance Manager. In addition, Leonardo Andrade, who is responsible for supply chain planning for Bridgestone Americas Latin American business, will have a “dotted-line” reporting relationship to Shelton.

About Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America. In addition, through its Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.