RICHMOND, British Columbia (May 17, 2002) — SmarTire Systems Inc. has named Al Kozak to the newly created position of chief operating officer.
Hired May 1, Mr. Kozak will report to SmarTire's president and CEO, Robert Rudman, and be responsible for day-to-day operations, specifically in the areas of sales, marketing and product development.
Mr. Kozak, a 30-year veteran of high-tech international sales and marketing, spent 10 years in the semiconductor industry. Most recently, he was founder and president of Siwash Ventures Inc., a consulting firm focused on delivering investment and business development expertise to technology companies.
“Al brings a great depth of knowledge and experience to SmarTire that will be invaluable as we aggressively pursue our business objectives,” Mr. Rudman said. “His academic qualifications together with his years of practical experience combine to provide SmarTire with the skill sets required to successfully address the unprecedented market opportunities within the rapidly expanding tire monitoring industry.”
SmarTire, which specializes in tire monitoring technology, also announced the departure of CFO Kevin Carlson, who is leaving the automotive industry to return to the biotech field. The company said it expects to find a replacement within two weeks.