NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 14, 2008) — Steven Brooks has succeeded the retiring Masao Wada as president of Bridgestone Firestone Manufacturing Operations. Ralph Burchfield, president of the Off Road Products Division and Firestone Agricultural Tire Co., also retired Jan. 1.
With Burchfield's retirement, BFS said it will eliminate the division operating group and instead the group businesses — Firestone Ag, Off Road Tire group and Firestone Tube Co. — will report directly to Asahiko "Duke" Nishiyama, president of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire.
Firestone Ag will be headed by Kenneth Allen as vice president; OTR by Thomas Shawn Rasey as vice president; and Firestone Tube by Scott Gateley as general manager.