NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Bridgestone/ Firestone North American Tire L.L.C. has made several management changes in its manufacturing and quality assurance segments.
Nobuo "Tim" Kawakami, president of Bridgestone/Firestone Manufacturing Operations, the manufacturing unit of BFNT, and an executive vice president of Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding Inc., will retire March 31. Kawakami joined Japanese parent Bridgestone Corp. in 1964.
Masao Wada, plant manager at the company´s Aiken County, S.C., facility, will assume Kawakami´s responsibilities at BFMO. Wada will be elected BFNT executive vice president of manufacturing Feb. 1. Succeeding Wada at the company´s Aiken County plant will be Mike Rose, currently the site´s operations manager. Wada, who will relocate to Nashville, has years of experience in U.S. manufacturing plants, the firm said.
Also effective Feb. 1, John McQuade, BFMO vice president of manufacturing, will become a full-time member of the team responsible for the 2003 round of labor negotiations with the United Steelworkers of America. The talks are expected to start in the spring.
Steve Brooks, vice president of quality assurance, will fill McQuade´s position.
Mike Kane, currently quality assurance manager, will become vice president of quality assurance, for BFNT and the parent holding company.