GREENVILLE, S.C.—Pete Selleck, Michelin North America Inc. chairman and president, will retire at year-end, concluding a 35-year career at Michelin, including the last six in his current positions.
Selleck's successor will be named in January, Michelin said, consistent with ongoing plans for the company's global reorganization project, which will start taking effect early next year.
"Pete's leadership of Michelin North America has represented many of the best ideals of our culture at Michelin," Michelin CEO Jean-Dominique Senard said.
"With a spirit of humility and kindness, Pete has left an indelible mark on the lives of many people, even as he has inspired them to raise performance, innovation, quality, safety and so many other measures to exciting new heights."
An engineering graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Selleck said, "I've only had two jobs in my entire life—Michelin and the U.S. Army. The company has given me the most outstanding professional journey I could ever have imagined, and I feel a debt of deepest gratitude to every person who has played a role in my career."
He has 26 years' active and reserve Army service and spent 35 years with Michelin in various executive positions.
Selleck said he'd "remain available to support the business as needed," while stressing that he'd been planning for several year to retire at this time.
As top executive of Michelin's largest global operating unit, Selleck was responsible for coordinating the firm's business activities throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, which together comprise more than 22,000 employees.
He was promoted to these positions in October 2011, following a five-plus-year stint as president of Michelin's global heavy-truck tire unit based in Clermont-Ferrand, France. He also was a member of Michelin's Group Executive Committee.
During this tenure at the helm of Michelin North America, the company invested nearly $4 billion in its operations.
Outside the company, Selleck played a key role in advocating for road improvements across South Carolina; advocating for fiscal reform in the federal government; promoting dialogue and understanding on matters of diversity and inclusion; and developing technical education to support industrial careers in South Carolina.
He also was chairman of the Rubber Manufacturers Association from 2013-15 and was an active supporter for the community of West Point alumni, the Boy Scouts of America and the United Way.
Selleck started his career with Michelin in 1982 as an industrial engineer at Michelin's first U.S. plant, eventually becoming the plant's manager, a role he consistently described as "my dream job" in the years after.
Selleck and his wife Nancy will maintain their residence in Greenville.