FULLERTON, Calif. -- On June 30, Jim MacMaster, Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) executive vice president and chief operating officer, will retire after 39 years in the tire industry. MacMaster, who also served as chairman of the Rubber Manufacturers Association from 2007 to 2009, began his career with a three-year stint in the Navy, followed by work in the defense and computer industries and then 10 years on the manufacturing and dealer side of the tire business. He joined Yokohama in January 1981.

“The tire industry has been home for most of my adult life,” said MacMaster, who has been married for 45 years to wife Theresa and has two children and two grandchildren. “I’ll certainly miss the everyday challenges at Yokohama and all of the great people I’ve worked with for so many years, but I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family in Georgia and doing a lot of traveling.”

During his 30-year tenure at Yokohama – the U.S. flagship for Tokyo, Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) – the organization grew from a $30 million company to nearly $1 billion and is now the seventh largest tire manufacturer in the world.

“When I look back, my proudest achievement at Yokohama was the acquisition and expansion of our Salem, Va., facility in 1989,” said MacMaster about the factory that produces a large majority of the passenger tires Yokohama sells in the U.S. “The flexible architecture of that plant lets us build an array of types and sizes of tires, which adds to YTC’s competitiveness in the North American marketplace.”

“The terms ‘team’ and ‘relationships’ are often overused, but our team at Yokohama has taken this company from years of losses to prosperity – even in our current economic situation. I want to thank everybody for their dedication and support. I have been privileged to watch careers and families grow and I am so proud of our associates.

“I have also been very fortunate to have wonderful relationships with our customers, our marketing partners and industry leaders. My time at Yokohama is full of so many favorite memories,” MacMaster commented.

According to Takao Oishi, YTC president and CEO, “Jim has held nearly every leadership position at YTC, where he has been the foundation and the face of our company. We all will deeply miss his keen insights and industry knowledge. On behalf of everybody at YTC and YRC, we are proud to have been associated with Jim and honored that he chose to be part of the Yokohama family for so many years. We offer Jim and Teri our best wishes as they embark on the next phase of their life together.”