WASHINGTON, D.C., September 8, 2016 — The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) announced that it has elected Jim Hawk as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Hawk succeeds Gary Garfield, CEO and president of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., who announced his retirement last month.

"We are excited that Jim Hawk is willing to take the leadership reins as chairman of USTMA's Board of Directors," said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and CEO.  "Jim's industry experience, energy, vision and his active tenure on the Board will be a great asset to USTMA and our industry."

Hawk is a 40 year veteran of the tire industry and serves as both the chairman of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. (TTHA) and Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc. (TNA), and is president of Toyo Tire North America OE Sales LLC. Subsidiaries under TTHA include Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. (TTC), Toyo Tire Canada Inc. (TCI), Nitto Tire USA Inc. (NTU), Nitto Tire Canada Inc. (NCI), Toyo Tire North America OE Sales LLC (TNOE), and TNA.  "I am honored by the confidence my fellow Board members have expressed in me with this election as USTMA chair," Hawk said. "We serve a vital and historic industry that provides substantial value to our nation. I look forward to working with the Board and Anne to advance our industry's priorities and communicate our collective commitment to consumer safety, environmental stewardship and strong investment in our workers and communities."

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About U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association: The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for tire manufacturers that produce tires in the U.S. For more information visit www.USTires.org and follow us on Twitter @USTireAssoc.