USTMA elects Yokohama Tire chief as chair

Washington - The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has elected Jeff Barna, president and CEO of Yokohama Tire Corp., as chair of the board of directors.

Barna will serve a two-year term through October 2026, said USTMA in a 10 Oct statement.

He succeeds Alexis Garcin, president and CEO of Michelin North America, who is stepping down from the USTMA board to undertake a new role at Michelin.

The Yokohama Tire chief brings “deep industry expertise, extensive global leadership and clear-eyed perspective” to the association, said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and CEO.

Barna joined Yokohama Tire in 2017 as chief operating officer and became CEO in 2021.

Meanwhile, the association board also elected Matthew Cabe, the new president and CEO of Michelin North America, as a director.

Cabe took over as the Michelin North America leader on 1 Oct, succeeding Garcin who led a number of industry projects during his tenure at USTMA.

Under Garcin's direction, the USTMA created a 6PPD Consortium consisting of 32 global tire manufacturers and created and launched the Tire Recycling Foundation (TRF) to advance the management of end-of-life tire markets.