NASSAU, Bahamas—Hankook Tire America Corp. introduced its new president and CEO, Jin Wook Choi, to dealers attending the company's 2001 dealer meeting in Nassau Feb. 25-28.
Mr. Choi most recently was director of overseas marketing for Hankook Tire Co. Ltd., the U.S. unit's parent company in South Korea. Prior to that he spent five years in Germany as president of Hankook Reifen Deutschland.
His new job became effective Jan. 11. Mr. Choi replaces Seung Hwa Suh, who served at the helm of the U.S. operation for the past five years. Mr. Suh has returned to Seoul, South Korea, as Hankook's executive vice president and is responsible for all overseas business.
Speaking to dealers at the meeting, Mr. Choi noted that a lot has changed since he first worked for Hankook in the U.S. 10 years ago.
>From 1987-91, Mr. Choi served at the company's U.S. operation, where he was involved in sales management and helped coordinate efforts between sales and marketing.
The quality of the firm's products has improved significantly in the past 10 years, he said. The new product development department has contributed to this change, he added, citing the successful introduction of such products as the Mileage Plus GT premium passenger tire, the RHO3 light truck tire and the ALO1 long-haul medium truck tire.
He also stressed how working together with the company's independent tire dealers can help both dealers and Hankook prosper. "Every Hankook dealer is an important part of our future," he said.
Mr. Choi joined Hankook 26 years ago in the import/export department. From 1979 to 1982 he worked at the company's branch office in Tehran, Iran, then in 1983, he moved to Seoul to work in the export department. In 1991, he became general manager of the export department.