Bridgestone/Firestone CEO named ``Executive of the Year''.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(AUTOMOTIVE WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1999--

Bridgestone/Firestone Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Masatoshi Ono has been named "Executive of the Year" by Rubber and Plastics News, the rubber industry's international newspaper. In announcing the prestigious award in the December 13 issue, the paper credits Ono with substantially increasing the company's sales and net profits. Net profits rose from $5 million in 1993 - the year he became CEO - to a record $285 million, with sales of $7.4 billion in 1998. However, the tremendous economic turnaround under Ono's leadership was not the only achievement cited by Rubber and Plastics News.

"Among his many accomplishments are: expanding Bridgestone/Firestone's customer relationships; nurturing communications among the company's 22 business units; revitalizing the Firestone brand by re-entering Indy car racing; and, perhaps most importantly, leading Bridgestone/Firestone's efforts to increase productivity," the article stated.

The article also included comments from customers, dealers and colleagues, praising Ono's leadership.

"We always feel like a customer," said David Hovind, president of Paccar Inc., manufacturer of Peterbilt, Kenworth, DAF and Foden trucks. "Sometimes when a company has a big portion of your business, that's not true. Some companies are more concerned with getting out and finding new business, but that's never been true with Bridgestone, and I think that has to do with Mr. Ono's leadership."

"I think the performance of Bridgestone/Firestone is indicative of Mr. Ono's leadership," said Paul Zurcher, president of Zurcher Tire, Inc., a tire distributor and retreader. "He's a person that if I would put a call into him and he wasn't there, he'd call me back the second he got in."

The "Executive of the Year" is chosen annually by the publication's editors from a pool that includes non-tire as well as tire manufacturers.

Ono joined Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. (now Bridgestone Corporation) in 1959. He worked in production systems and manufacturing and served as the plant manager at both the Hikone and Kurume plants in Japan. He was elected to the Bridgestone Corporation Board of Directors in 1987. He came to the U.S. in 1991 as Executive Vice President, Manufacturing and Technology, Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. and was elected to the Bridgestone/Firestone Board of Directors. In 1992, he was named President, Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Manufacturing Company and Bridgestone/Firestone Technology Company. He became CEO of BFS in 1993, and in 1996 he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bridgestone/Firestone and appointed Executive Vice President of Bridgestone Corporation.

Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. Bridgestone/Firestone manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and house and private brand tires. The company also produces Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber, and industrial products.