Continental Tire the Americas has announced two appointments to its commercial vehicle tire division. Thomas L. Fanning, currently director of original equipment sales of Truck the Americas, has been selected as the division’s director of replacement sales of NAFTA.
Fanning assumes the role currently held by Shaun Uys, who is returning to his home country of South Africa to pursue other opportunities within Continental’s rubber group. “Shaun has been an instrumental part of determining our new direction and approach, and I cannot say enough positives about his role here to do him justice,” says Paul Williams, executive vice president of Truck the Americas. “We will miss his contribution.”
As director of replacement sales, Fanning will be responsible for strategic selling initiatives across dealer and fleet channels for the Continental, General, Ameri*Steel, Euzkadi and associated brands. Fanning, who will report directly to Williams, had served as director of the original equipment unit since 2007. In prior roles at CTA, Fanning was a regional manager of replacement commercial vehicle sales.
Succeeding Fanning as director of original equipment sales is Wes Garber. In this role, Garber will have responsibilities for developing and executing business strategies for the Americas, which include market shares, profitability and achieving standard original equipment positions with major truck and trailer manufacturers.
Garber will report to Peter Matzke, Continental’s global vice president of original equipment of truck tires, and indirectly to Williams. Garber also continues in his role as chairman of the board of directors of a joint venture that produces commercial vehicle tires as the GTY Tire Co. in Mt. Vernon, Ill.
Garber most recently held the position of controller for the truck tire business unit of CTA. Prior to joining CTA, Garber was the sales and marketing controller of BSN Medical Inc. Garber, a certified public accountant in the state of North Carolina, will be replaced as controller by Kristian Klotz, who is relocating from Continental’s central controlling in Hannover, Germany.
“Building on Shaun’s leadership, and with the help of both Tom and Wes, you will continue to see Continental moving forward as the company of choice in the commercial vehicle tire marketplace,” Williams says.
