FINDLAY, OH — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has appointed Roy Armes as president and chief executive officer. Armes was also elected to director on the company’s board. Armes will assume his new post on Jan. 1, 2007. He will succeed Byron Pond, a member of the board of directors who has served as interim CEO since August, when former CEO Tom Dattilo resigned.

Armes comes to Cooper following a 31 year career at Whirlpool Corp. He brings to Cooper a wealth of experience in engineering, manufacturing, global procurement and international operations management as well as a successful track record of developing customer relationships and consumer oriented products. His specific roles included: senior vice president, project management office; corporate vice president/general director, Whirlpool Mexico; corporate vice president, Global Procurement Operations; and president and managing director, Whirlpool Greater China.

Armes holds a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toledo in Toledo, OH. He is married and has two sons and will relocate soon to the Findlay, OH, area.

For an undesignated period, the "office of the chairman" will remain intact as it is currently constructed with directors, Byron Pond, John Shuey and Art Aronson.

For more information about Cooper Tire, go to: http://www.coopertire.com.