Goodyear Tire To Combine Its North America And Latin America Businesses

(RTTNews) - Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) announced it will combine its North America and Latin America businesses into one Americas business unit, effective January 1, 2016.

All manufacturing plants in the combined region - including the new Americas plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, scheduled to open in 2017 - will be leveraged to serve all customers in Mexico, Latin America and North America.

The Americas business unit will be led by Stephen McClellan, currently president of Goodyear's North America business. Marcelo Toscani, currently vice president of global manufacturing, will serve as president of the company's Latin America operations and report to McClellan.

McClellan, 50, has spent his entire career at Goodyear since joining the company in 1988. He has been the president of the company's North America business since 2011. Prior to that, he served as president of the North American consumer tire business, led the North American commercial truck tire business, and served in other management roles in finance, sales and distribution.

Toscani, 57, has global experience across regions and functions. A native of Argentina, he has experience in marketing, manufacturing, and general management in several Latin American countries. In addition to his current global operations role, Toscani has held leadership positions in Brazil and China during his more than 30 years at Goodyear.

In addition, the company announced that Jean-Claude Kihn has been named president of its Europe, Middle East and Africa business. Currently the president of Goodyear's Latin America business, Kihn will fully assume his new role on January 1, 2016. He succeeds Darren R. Wells, who will leave the company in early 2016.