Kenneth Allen Retires From Bridgestone Agricultural Tire President led recent realignment efforts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 30, 2014) – Bridgestone Agricultural Tire, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales (BAAG), a division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), today announced that Kenneth Allen, President, will retire at the end of June. For more than six years, Allen has led the manufacturing, sales and marketing of Firestone brand agricultural, forestry, and light construction tires.
“Highly regarded in the industry, Ken led the realignment of our Agricultural business in recent years,” said Kurt Danielson, President, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales. “His leadership and commitment has been instrumental in turning around our agricultural tire business, guiding the development of several key agricultural tire products and helping us to deliver industry-leading service to our customers. We are grateful for Ken’s many contributions over the last decade and he will be missed.”
Allen began his career at Bridgestone as an export sales manager for Firestone Agricultural Tire Company in 2002. Shortly after, he joined the Off Road Products Group (ORPD) as General Manager Export Sales, and was promoted to Director – Global OEM of Engineering and Export Sales for ORPD. In 2007, Ken transitioned back to the agricultural group as Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, where he was soon promoted to Vice President and, in 2009, President. Allen attended Iowa State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and earned a master’s degree in business and education from Drake University. An affiliate of the American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers and the Institute of Industrial Engineers, Allen has not only provided solid leadership to Bridgestone, but has also been a true advocate for the agriculture industry as a whole. Allen is an industry resource whose knowledge, skills and dedication will be hard to replace.
Allen will retire to his home at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, where he plans to dedicate time to his family and one of his passions, boating. Ken also will continue his advocacy for the agriculture industry through roles with the National FFA, the National Council for Agricultural Education and a board position with NASCO. A search for his replacement is underway and Danielson will lead the division in the interim.
About Agricultural Tire, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales division, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Agricultural Tire, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales division (BAAG), Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, is the industry leader in the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of market-leading Firestone agricultural tires. BAAG’s Des Moines, Iowa, facility is located in the heart of America’s farm belt and supplies approximately half of the agricultural tires consumed by North American original equipment manufacturers as well as being the leading agricultural tire supplier in the North American replacement market. Firestone agricultural tires can be found on farm tractors, planting and harvesting equipment and other farm implements in North America and around the world. In addition BAAG markets and sells forestry, ATV and construction tires. BAAG also operates a testing facility, located in Columbiana, Ohio, which is the only facility in the world solely dedicated to the development and testing of agricultural tires.
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, as well as retreads, to its customers in the Americas.