Bridgestone Americas Announces AppointmentsSteve Brooks named Chief Project Officer for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations; Diane Drum named Vice President, Information Technology
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 21, 2011) - Bridgestone Americas (BATO) today announced two important appointments that are effective immediately.
Steve Brooks, previously Vice President, Information Technology, Bridgestone Americas (BSAM) has been named Chief Project Officer for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), a new position created specifically to lead the construction and start-up of one of Bridgestone Americas’ largest investments to date: a new off-road radial tire plant in Aiken County, S.C. Diane E. Drum, has been named Vice President, Information Technology, BSAM, succeeding Brooks.
Background information on Brooks and Drum
Brooks began his career in 1989 with Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. at Warren County, Tenn., as an Area Manager in Stock Cutting and worked his way up to Division Manager of Operations and Information Services by 1994. He was part of the start-up team as General Manager for the Aiken County, S.C., passenger and light truck tire facility in 1997, becoming Plant Manager there in 2000. In 2002, Steve was named Vice President of Quality Assurance for Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC at its Nashville, Tenn., headquarters. He then accepted the position of Vice President of Manufacturing Operations in 2003 before being named President of U.S., Canada & Monterrey Manufacturing Operations in 2007. Steve earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt University.
Before joining our team, Diane was Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Gerdau Ameristeel in Florida. Previously, she held the position of Chief Data Management and Business Insight Officer at DuPont. Diane grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and attended Clemson University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (Cum Laude) and completed one year of her Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering before being hired by DuPont.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home.
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 Commercial Solutions Group, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.