Goodyear Appoints New Internal Audit VP

Goodyear has announced the appointment of Richard Pegher to the position of vice president of internal audit. Pegher’s appointment, effective August 1, sees him reporting functionally to the audit committee of the company’s Board of Directors and administratively to executive vice president and CFO Mark Schmitz. In this role, based at the company’s Akron, Ohio headquarters, Pegher will implement audit programs and evaluate risk exposures relating to the company’s governance, operations, financial reporting and information systems.

“Rich brings to Goodyear significant experience as a leader in internal auditing functions at large corporations,” said Schmitz. “I am confident he will be vigilant about our corporate governance and control mechanisms and help Goodyear further enhance our well-earned reputation as a trustworthy company.”

Before joining Goodyear, Pegher served as vice president of internal audit at XM Satellite Radio, where his responsibilities included assessing enterprise-wide risks and risk management activities. Prior to that, he spent six years as vice president of internal audit for truck and car parts supplier ArvinMeritor, where he spearheaded the company’s efforts to achieve Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and served as the company’s chief ethics executive. He also held various internal audit and financial positions with Rockwell International and its spin-off, Meritor Automotive. Pegher received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Pegher replaces Warren Johnston, who took over Goodyear’s internal auditing responsibilities on an interim basis in 2006. A former vice president of internal audit at automotive supplier TRW, Johnston had served as a Goodyear consultant in 2004 and 2005 as the Sarbanes-Oxley program manager.