At the end of 2007 the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company named Jean-Claude Kihn, 48, as new Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, effective 1 January 2008. Kihn, formerly General Director of Goodyear’s Technical Centre in Akron, Ohio, USA, replaced Joseph M. Gringo, who has retired from Goodyear after 41 years of service to become Chief Executive Officer at A. Schulman Inc.

J. Reid Shelton, 1983 ACS Rubber Division Charles Goodyear Medalist, died Dec. 31 at the age of 96.

RTP Company, Winona, MN, USA, has appointed Eric Lee as business manager for its structural products group.

Otto H. Bruder, 57, decided, after more than 40 years working in the plastics industry of which almost 35 years for A. Schulman Plastics, Akron, OH, USA, to retire before legal age.

Smithers Rapra Technology announces the appointment of Michael Day to the newly created position of Technical Sales and Consultancy Director.

Dr. Michael Körsten took over the position of sales manager US for the laser Micro division at Rofin - Baasel Lasertech.

WASHINGTON - Jim MacMaster, executive vice president, Business Division, for Yokohama Tire Corp., has been elected chairman of the board of directors of the Rubber Manufacturers Association.

Dennis H. Reilley, retired chairman and CEO of Praxair, Inc., and chairman of Covidien Ltd., has been elected to its Board of Directors of The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI, USA.

AKRON - Goodyear has named Mark Purtilar chief procurement officer, replacing Gary Miller, who is retiring.