LAS VEGAS (Oct. 30, 2012) — Apollo Tyres Ltd. has named Emil Herbak, a European regional manager for Vredestein companies in Europe, sales manager at Vredestein North America Inc., succeeding Al Smoke, who's retiring after 26 years at Vredestein and some of its predecessor companies.
In all, Mr. Smoke looks back on a 44-year career in the industry. He started in the retail side with a tire manufacturer in 1968 and moved three years later to East Coast wholesaler Tire Associates. From there he moved in 1981 to Vredusa, the U.S. sales office of Dutch tire maker Vredestein Banden.
Vredestein closed its U.S. office in 1991 but then re-established a sales unit in 1997, at which point Mr. Smoke rejoined the Dutch company. As sales manager of Vredestein Tyres North America Inc., Mr. Smoke was responsible for sales in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
Mr. Herbak has worked for Vredestein for seven years as a regional sales manager in Germany and country manager in Hungary, Romania and Slovak Republic. He takes up his new position on Jan. 1.