NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 27, 2001)—George Bishop, former president and CEO of Truflex/Pang Rubber Products, recently was inducted into the International Tire & Rubber Industry Hall of Fame during the World Tire Expo in Nashville. He received the Industry Leadership Award in 1999.
Mr. Bishop began his tire industry career in 1955, when, after having survived a concentration camp during World War II and subsequently completing studies in Switzerland, he joined Pang Rubber Co. in New York. Just four years later, he became a partner and executive vice president of that company, which was a pioneer in chemical vulcanization.
After Pang purchased the Truflex Rubber Products Co. of Los Angeles in 1964, Mr. Bishop moved to California to head the newly combined organization. Under his leadership, Truflex/Pang grew into a global supplier of tire repair materials, cushion gum and other vulcanizing materials, with manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles, Mexico, Hungary and India.
In 1996, he became majority stockholder of Truflex/Pang and subsequently its president and CEO. After the company was sold to Tech International in 1998, he continued to serve as a director and consultant until 2000, when he left to establish Bishop Consultants LLC.
Mr. Bishop served on the board of the Tire Retreading Information Bureau, as chairperson of the Tread Rubber and Tire Repair Materials Manufacturers Group and has been active in several other industry organizations, including ITRA, the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Tire Association of North America.
Also honored at Internationnal Tire & Rubber Association's Awards Banquet April 20, were: Raymond Hawkinson Jr. formerly of the Paul E. Hawkinson Co., who received the Industry Leadership award; Gaither Tool Co., which received the Pioneer award; and John West and Mark Whaley, who received Friend of the Industry awards.
Columbus McKinnon Corp. received a Friend of the Industry award while Michelin North America Inc. and Continental Tire North America Inc. also were given Industry Leadership awards in recognition of their contributions in the tire and rubber recycling fields.