Yokohama Tire Corporation Announces Organizational Changes

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Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) logo and headshot of Jeff Barna


Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) has announced several organizational changes, including Jeff Barna’s promotion to president and CEO. Barna, a managing officer of Yokohama Rubber  (YRC), joined YTC as COO in 2017, and was named president of YTC in 2018. 

This latest promotion will allow Barna greater oversight of YTC’s US-based operations, including the Yokohama Development Center America (YDCA) in Cornelius, North Carolina.

“I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue to lead Yokohama in the US,” Barna said. “Our parent company has recognized us as a driver of global growth for our consolidated operations, and that is exactly what we intend to do. I’m very much looking forward to officially increasing my involvement with the product and innovation agenda of YDCA and confident that the team we have assembled throughout the country has us in a great position to reach our goals.”

Shinichi Takimoto, the senior managing officer of YRC and current CEO of YTC, will retain his role as chairman of YTC, as well as president and CEO of Yokohama Corporation of North America (YCNA), chairman of Yokohama Tire Canada (YTV), and chairman of Yokohama Tire Mexico (YTMX).

Additional organizational changes include the following:

Takehisa Morimoto is the new chairman and president of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi (YTMM). Morimoto, who formerly held a role at Yokohama’s consumer tire plant in Salem, Virginia, and is currently president of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Thailand (YTMT), replaces Hikomitsu Noji, who will return to YRC as a senior advisor.

Tom Kenny, currently the senior director of research and development at YDCA, has been promoted to vice president of YDCA. Kenny will now report directly to Barna.

Jeremy Kahrs has been promoted from the director of technical services at YDCA to senior director of technical services. Kahrs will continue to report to Kenny.

For more information, visit yokohamatire.com.

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