AKRON—The popular Presidents and CEOs Panel will be returning to the International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC) - Tire Dealers/Auto Service this August in Orlando, Fla. The presidents of three tire companies already have agreed to participate on the panel, which was one of the most highly regarded sessions at the 2012 ITEC, with more than 800 attendees.
The president panelists are expected to discuss issues of keen interest to tire dealers such as product trends, the Internet's impact on tire sales and marketing, distribution channels, new tire labeling laws, size proliferation and more.
They also will take questions from the audience. Tire Business Editor and VP/Publisher Dave Zielasko will moderate the panel.
This year's panelists include:
- Chris Ostrander, president of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.'s North America Tire Division;
- Gordon Knapp, chief operating officer and CEO, chairman and president of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (both consumer and commercial); and
- Tomoshige “Tomo” Mizutani, president of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc.
“With so much change taking place in the retail tire industry, having a chance to hear from the leaders of some of North America's top tire makers is a unique opportunity,” Mr. Zielasko said. “It should be an informative session with enlightening perspectives.”
The ITEC - Tire Dealers/Auto Service show is one of North America's largest conferences and trade shows for tire dealers and independent repair facilities.
This year's conference will feature more than 40 educational seminars on topics ranging from business management, tire pressure monitoring systems, Internet marketing, sales training and customer service, auto service and showroom design. In addition, the conference will feature 10 panel presentations with leading industry experts as participants.
The conference takes place Aug. 20-22, 2014, at the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel in Orlando. The event includes a trade show of tire and service industry companies as well as opportunities for networking. The $65 registration fee includes all of the educational sessions and trade show.
For more information, room reservations and to register, visit the ITEC website at www.itec-tireshow.com.