Sam Gibara, left, Goodyear chairman, Bridgestone Corp.'s Shigeo Watanabe and Group Michelin's Edouard Michelin led industry efforts to aid victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, with each company contributing $1 million to that cause.
Nick Hodel, left, Tire Association of North America president, and Tom Raben, International Tire & Rubber Association president, brought their two rival dealer groups together in a planned merger, slated to take place next July, provided members approve.
Larry Morgan sold to Bridgestone/Firestone a majority interest in his 558-store Morgan Tire & Auto Inc. chain, which does business as Tires Plus and other names.
John Lampe, Bridgestone/Firestone chairman, left, and Jacques Nasser, then-CEO of Ford Motor Co., testified before congress, each blaming the other's company for rollover accidents involving Ford Explorers.
Ray Bennett of DeKalb Tire Co. sued Michelin North America Inc. alleging price discrimination. The case was settled out of court after Michelin bought the Atlanta-based dealership.
Dick Johnson, CEO of Heafner Tire Group, led the Huntsville, N.C., company out of tire retailing, selling the 132-store Winston Tire chain and the retail stores of its former T.O. Haas Tire Co. division.