PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Patrick C. "Pat" Ross, former chairman and CEO of Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co., died March 28 in Port Charlotte. He was 94.
Ross served in the U.S. Air Force and was chosen for the Chinese Language School at Yale University for the purpose of monitoring Chinese radio transmissions during the Korean War.
He later joined WWJ Radio-TV in Detroit, where he worked for the Ralph Edwards's telecast "This is Your Life" and as the station promotion manager. He was later recruited by Argus Cameras in 1957 as merchandising manager.
In 1962 he joined B.F. Goodrich Co. in Akron and moved up the corporate management ladder. He became president of BFG's international division and lived in Europe from 1965-68.
After returning to the Akron headquarters, he attended Harvard University's executive management program and was put on BFG's management "fast track," culminating with his appointment as president of BFGoodrich Tire Group (1972-1984), president of BFGoodrich Co. (1984-86) and then chairman and CEO of them newly merged Uniroyal Goodrich Tire (1986-87).
Ross oversaw the introduction of the first radial tire (the Advantage T/A) and the successful advertising campaign, "The Goodrich Blimp." In the early 1970s, Ross decided to sponsor several racing teams using the firm's T/A-branded tires.
Under his leadership, the company began sponsoring the 30-minute pregame show for the early Super Bowl games.
Ross retired in 1988, and he divided his time between Naples, Fla., and Petoskey, Mich.
One of his proudest accomplishments, according to his obituary, was establishing the "William D. Ross Family Memorial Scholarship" to benefit students in the West Iron County High School in Michigan, where his father had taught history. Since 1995, the scholarship has helped eight students annually to attend college.
In 2015, Ross authored a book, "Slippery Slope," a compilation of his speeches from the 1970s warning about the consequences of excessive government regulation and loss of personal freedoms.
Ross was preceded in death by his wife Ann Groves Ross; son Charles; second wife Margaret; brothers William and Peter; and sister Marjorie.
Survivors include his son Stewart (Sandra); daughter Nancy Ross; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
