The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has released the official session lineup for the 63rd annual Off-the-Road (OTR) Conference. The conference and sessions will be held at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, from Feb. 21-24, 2018.
Each session will address key industry and political topics that are important for all attendees. All sessions will be led by industry professionals and/or TIA staff.
- Wednesday, Feb. 21
- President Donald Trump: Year Two led by Dr. Roy Littlefield, TIA executive vice president
- OTR Tire Recycling: Industry Solutions and Innovations for a Sustainable Future led by Debra Hamlin, environmental manager at Bridgestone and Dick Gust, TIA board member
- Certified Earthmover Tire Service led by Kevin Rohlwing, TIA senior vice president of training; Matt White, TIA director of tire service; Roy Galyer, Klinge manager operations America’s, Klinge
- Thursday, Feb. 22
- Looking Forward to the Next 50 Years of OTR Retreading led by Marvin Bozarth, TIA senior technical consultant
- U.S. OTR Industry Forecast led by Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training
- Wheel Re-Certification Programs Making Sure Wheels are Certified for Safety led by Hector Ramirez, vice president of mining operations, OTR Wheel Engineering
- Tire Manufacturer Panel (presenter TBD)
- Friday, Feb. 23
- Strategies to Win in a Challenging Economy led by Tom Shay, Profits Plus Solutions Inc.
- America’s Aging Infrastructure A Construction Equipment Perspective led by Brian McGuire, president and CEO, Associated Equipment Dealers (AED)
- Manufacturer Keynote led by Chris Rhodes, senior project manager, Technology Solutions, BKT
Also on Friday, attendees will hear from this year’s motivational speaker, Vince Papale. Papale is a former professional football player and who played for the Philadelphia Eagles for three seasons. He takes his shot at every fan’s fantasy of going from the grandstands to the gridiron. It has been described that Papale’s odds of achieving his wildest lifelong dream of playing for the Eagles as “one in a gazillion.” From being voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates to earning Eagles “Man of the Year’ in 1978 for his numerous charitable activities, Papale was an NFL sensation.
Each year, the OTR Conference brings hundreds of earthmover tire industry professionals together to participate in a variety of educational sessions, networking opportunities and leisure activities. Leading manufacturers, dealers, retreaders, suppliers and service providers will be in attendance to gain insight on the latest industry updates while networking with customers, colleagues and key decision-makers.
Conference registration is required prior to reserving a room, with no exceptions. A special reservation link will be provided once registration is received and payment is processed.
To download a registration form and receive more information, visit tireindustry.org/2018-otr-conference. For any questions or concerns contact LaKisha Pindell (Housing or Sponsorship) at [email protected] or Cindy Edson (Registration) at [email protected].
