Yokohama Tire Corp. announced several strategic management promotions within the company. They include:
• Dan King, from vice president of sales and marketing to senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Dan has been highly instrumental in securing strong performances for Yokohama, including a record year in 2010,” says Takao Oishi, Yokohama president and chief executive officer. “This promotion reflects Dan’s continued high level of performance, as well as his expanded role since the retirement of Jim MacMaster (YTC’s former executive vice president and chief operating officer) last year.”
• Thomas Masuguchi, from controller to vice president and controller. “Tom has done a tremendous job further improving Yokohama’s finances, and his advice and leadership has been invaluable to our success in recent years,” Oishi says.
The other Yokohama promotions were:
• John Cooney, from director of commercial sales to director of export. Cooney, who is credited by the company for building its commercial sales group, will develop Yokohama’s sales, operations and brand strategies for consumer and commercial export. Cooney will continue to report to King.
• Rick Phillips, from manager of commercial sales to director of commercial sales. Phillips, who will report to King, assumes the department’s reins from Cooney. “Rick has been a major part of the Commercial Division’s growth the last few years and a key leader for Yokohama,” King says.
• Minoru (Mike) Nakayama, to chief adviser of corporate strategy and product planning. In this role, Nakayama will advise in the areas of corporate strategy, product planning for consumer tires and motorsports. Nakayama comes from Yokohama Asia Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of YTC’s parent company, The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (YRC). He will replace Kenichi (Kenny) Shirai, who returns to YRC on Jan. 14.
• Alan Easome, from manager of supply chain planning to director of supply chain planning. Easome, who will divide his time between Yokohama’s Fullerton headquarters and plant in Salem, Va., will oversee all activities related to supply chain operations, including forecasting, production planning, scheduling and finished goods inventory optimization. He will report to Jim Quinn, vice president of operations.
• Percy Cottle, from district sales manager of export to zone manager of export. “Percy has been a vital asset to Yokohama,” Cooney says. “He has been central in establishing the Yokohama brand, both consumer and commercial, in our export markets.” Cottle will report to Cooney.
• Andrew Briggs, from account manager to senior manager of motorsports. Briggs will head up Yokohama’s motorsports department, now a separate unit. Briggs will report to King.
