FINDLAY, OH — Cooper Tire and Rubber has announced five new executive appointments, as a result of a realignment within the company’s tire group. The realignment was designed to better focus on target markets, support the company’s strategic plan and ensure the right resources are in place to grow the tire business globally, the company said.
Effective May 1, current Cooper Tire president, D. Richard Stephens, will become president of the North American Tire Division.
Stephens has served as president of Cooper Tire since December 2001. The year prior to that he served as the president of the international tire division. He also has served as vice president of technical and commercial tire operations. His Cooper career has spanned 26 years, with 22 of those years in the technical and product development areas.
Patricia Brown has been named to the newly created position of vice president, global branding and communications. Having spent nearly 36 years with Cooper, Brown most recently served as vice president, advertising and communications for Cooper Tire, since 2000. She began her career as a sales analyst in the marketing research department and held various advertising positions until being named director of communications in 1997. Brown’s responsibilities will include communications, investor relations, brand management and development, and graphic arts, as well as oversight for advertising in North America, Asia and Europe.
Harold Miller has been appointed president of Cooper’s International Tire Division.
Miller joined Cooper in March 2002 as vice president, corporate planning and control. He joined the company after 16 years of service with the Eaton Corp. in Toledo, Ohio, where he had most recently served as vice president and general manager for the fluid power hose and plastic operation overseeing global divisional operations dedicated to engineering, manufacturing and distribution throughout nine manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. His background also includes mergers and acquisitions and 10 years in public accounting.
Additionally, Carl Casalbore, current vice president, retail sales and high performance tire development, has been named vice president of marketing and retail sales for Cooper’s North American Tire Division. Casalbore’s new responsibilities include the areas of marketing services, product marketing, retail store operations, customer relationship management, North American advertising, and North American business development.
He joined Cooper Tire in 1999 as a director of sales. He previously served 20 years with a competitor holding several managerial positions.
Finally, Phillip Caris has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing for the North American Tire Division. During his 21-year Cooper career, Caris has held several sales and marketing roles, most recently servicing as vice president, marketing, since 2002. He also headed the sales and marketing team in Europe between 2000 and 2002, and has served as director of international business and strategic marketing, associated brands manager, manager of inner tube sales and market development, manager of sales training and served as a regional and territory sales manager.
All of the appointments are effective May 1.
For more information about Cooper Tire and Rubber, go to: www.coopertireandrubber.com.
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