Ronald Musgnug, who retired in 1997 as a top Michelin executive, died Monday. Musgnug, 70, was a native of New York who joined Michelin in 1973.

"To me, Ron is the icon of Michelin in North America, a true pioneer of our American operations," said Wayne Culbertson, executive vice president of Michelin North America. "Above all the strong leaders in our company, Ron stood out."

Pete Selleck, global president of Michelin Group’s truck tires division, said, "Ron was dedicated to making sure that Michelin’s decision to manufacture tires in North America was successful. He was a dedicated professional, with a nice balance of drive, patience and the ability to inject humor at the right time."

Musgnug, a graduate of Adelphia University in New York, earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s in business administration. Prior to joining Michelin, he was a U.S. Marines sharpshooter, formulated the "clean room" procedures for the Lunar Excursion Module that first landed on the moon and worked on Grumman’s F-14 fighter jet project.

Musgnug served as the first Michelin plant manager in the U.S., heading up the Greenville Donaldson plant from 1974 to 1978. He then served as plant manager for US 2 in Anderson and was named head of manufacturing for Michelin Canada in 1984 and head of North American manufacturing in 1986. Musgnug was named global president of Michelin Aircraft Tires in 1993.

Musgnug served as president and chairman of the Greenville Transit Authority from 1998 to 2002. (Courtesy of Tire Review)