Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Announces Appointments Saul Solomon named President of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Latin American Tire Division; Ken Weaver named President of U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept.19, 2011) - Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) today announced two important appointments that are effective immediately.
Saul Solomon, previously President of the U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), has been named the President of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Latin American Tire Division (BATO LA). Solomon succeeds Humberto Gomez, who announced his retirement from BATO LA last July. Ken Weaver, formerly Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), has been named President, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales, BATO, succeeding Solomon.
Background information on Solomon and Weaver:
In 1993, Solomon joined Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. as a Senior Counsel and later Division General Counsel, Corporate and International. In 1997, he assumed the role of Division Vice President of Labor Relations. Solomon became Vice President and General Counsel of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. in 2000. In 2007, he led a transition team during Bridgestone Americas’ 2007 merger with Bandag Incorporated, and went on to serve as Chairman, CEO and President of Bridgestone Bandag, LLC. In March 2008, Solomon was named President of Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS). In October 2008, Solomon was appointed to the position of President of the U.S. and Canada Commercial Tire Sales. Solomon holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the University of North Carolina.
Weaver joined the Bridgestone Americas family of companies in 1982, becoming Manager, Financial Systems, Firestone Credit Card. That same year he moved to the GCR Group (the company’s commercial tire retail store operation) where he held various positions, including Information Systems Director, Controller and Assistant National Manager. In 1997, Weaver moved to Firestone Agricultural Tire to serve as Director of Finance. Later he became its National Sales Manager, and, in 2001, he was promoted to Director, Sales & Marketing.
In 2004, Weaver became Controller of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC and then Vice President of Finance a year later. In 2007, Weaver was promoted to the position of Corporate Controller, Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., a position he held until becoming Chairman, CEO and President of FSDP in 2009. Earlier this year, Weaver was named BSAM’s CFO. Weaver earned both his bachelor’s degree in business and his Master of Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University.
About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. Reporting into the BATO business unit are the company's Latin American tire operations; the U.S. and Canadian consumer tire businesses; the U.S. and Canadian commercial tire businesses; and Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC, which operates the largest network of company-owned automotive service providers in the world. BATO develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The business unit is focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in the Americas. 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.