Goodyear’s CEO on Getting the 126-Year-Old Brand Back to #1

After we had been offered with the chance to interview Mark Stewart, CEO of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Firm, with the well-known Goodyear Blimp, we jumped on the alternative. In spite of everything — everyone knows the model. And we must always: It is a Fortune 500 firm, they’ve 68,000 staff globally, they usually did over $18 billion in income in 2024.

We met Mark and his crew within the hangar in Akron, Ohio and did the interview with the enduring blimp within the backdrop, which is unsurprisingly huge. The primary story he instructed was about how the Goodyear blimps were used in World War II as anti-submarine assist. As a enterprise proprietor myself, it is fairly wonderful to keep in mind that this firm has 1) been round for thus lengthy and a pair of) has pivoted, modified, developed, grown, and so forth. in so some ways.

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Mark Stewart’s path into the automotive trade began early. His grandfather was a mechanic, his father labored in tires, and he grew up across the instruments and the commerce. That familiarity with automobiles ultimately led him into engineering and manufacturing, together with a five-year stint at Stellantis earlier than taking up the CEO position at Goodyear. His profession wasn’t mapped out in some excellent arc — it was constructed by means of a mixture of alternatives and a willingness to tackle what got here subsequent. Our dialog wasn’t about large turning factors as a lot because it was about sticking with the work and adapting alongside the best way.

We spent a superb portion of our time speaking in regards to the Goodyear Ahead plan, which is the corporate’s present technique to modernize each operations and tradition. Stewart emphasised the push to reclaim Goodyear’s place within the tire trade — not simply by way of model recognition, however efficiency. Once I requested what it is like main a 126-year-old model, he quipped, “Do not mess it up.” There’s clearly stress there, however he did not overdramatize it. Only a regular consciousness of what is at stake and what wants fixing.

There have been some sensible insights within the dialog that caught with me. One was across the significance of regional manufacturing — constructing tires nearer to the place they’re going to be bought, not only for logistics however to remain in tune with native markets. One other was about retail. Whereas some would possibly draw back from direct-to-consumer operations, Stewart sees Goodyear’s retail footprint as a bonus. It provides them proximity to prospects and extra management over the expertise.

We additionally touched on broader subjects like electric vehicles, tariffs and AI — particularly how tire sensors would possibly play a much bigger position in the way forward for automobile efficiency and security. His method wasn’t speculative; he stayed targeted on what’s actual and what’s inside the firm’s management. It is a theme that got here up a couple of instances: Construct the fitting merchandise, keep near your folks, and let the noise keep on the skin.

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What I loved most in regards to the dialog was listening to about Mark’s grandfather and father. He appeared genuinely excited about what he was doing and appeared to care in regards to the model of Goodyear. Mark is a couple of yr and a half into the position as CEO, and I am to see what they’ve in retailer sooner or later.