FORT MILL, S.C. — Continental A.G. has promoted Matthew Futrelle to head of sales and marketing throughout the Americas for the Commercial Specialty Tires business unit, which oversees all materials-handling, earthmoving and agriculture tire business in North, Central and South America.
Mr. Futrelle joined Continental Tire the Americas in 2009 in the company's commercial vehicle tires division, serving as a key account manager for trucks in the northern U.S. region. He then joined Commercial Specialty Tires in 2016 as the U.S. market manager and since 2018, has been the market manager for the U.S. and Canada.
He succeeds Pavel Prouza, who is joining the Hydraulic Brake Systems business unit of Conti's Automotive Technologies group as the lead of controlling.
Mr. Futrelle will report to Wolfgang Thomale, who heads the newly created Specialty Tires business unit and in addition is responsible for Commercial Specialty Tires globally.
"I am very pleased to announce Matthew Futrelle as Commercial Specialty Tires' new head of sales and marketing for the Americas," said Thomale. "Matthew has been with Continental Commercial Specialty Tires for over four years already. With his extensive specialty tire background, deep understanding of our customers' needs and knowledge of the American markets, I have the utmost confidence he will advance the Americas region forward."
Conti created the Commercial Specialty Tires unit in 2013 when it combined its industrial materials-handling and OTR mining tire sectors, as part of its corporate growth strategy through 2025.
The segment produces pneumatic and solid industrial tires for forklifts and other materials-handling equipment, as well as tires for military vehicles, harbor and port freight haulers, surface and underground mining vehicles, agriculture and construction equipment and airplanes.
Conti recently combined this unit with the activities of the company's two-wheel tires and Hoosier Racing Tire businesses into a Specialty Tires unit.