YTC announces management changes

Takayuki Hamaya, chief operating officer at Yokohama Tire Corporation, shares that several promotions within the Japanese tyre maker’s North American operation took effect on 1 April.

Fred Koplin’s role of director, marketing communications has been supersized to that of senior director, consumer sales, while Rick Phillips has been promoted from director, commercial sales to senior director, commercial and OTR sales. Tim Easter, director, OTR sales and marketing, will report to Phillips.

Andrew Briggs, previously director, product planning and motorsports, is now director, marketing communications and product planning. Briggs’ responsibilities include marketing communications, consumer and commercial product planning. He will also continue to oversee motorsports. Lawrence Kull has been promoted from national sales manager, consumer division to director, tyre business planning. Kull will oversee consumer and commercial sales planning, market analysis, sales strategy development and business performance measurement. He will continue as the national account manager for Discount Tire.

Koplin, Phillips, Briggs and Kull all report to Hamaya. “Yokohama has aggressive growth goals,” the chief operating officer commented. “And the only way to achieve those is to keep growing our dealers’ business the way we have been. Our customers remain our top priority and we are confident that the sales management structure we have assembled makes us an even more effective business partner to them. We look forward to a mutually strong profitable future together.” 

Leaving Yokohama Tire Corporation tomorrow after a career with the company spanning almost 25 years is Dan King, senior vice-president of sales and marketing. King has accepted the position of president at California-based wholesaler Tire’s Warehouse.  

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