Richard J. Kramer, chairman, CEO and president of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will be speaking at The University of Akron’s annual Goodyear Executive Leadership Forum on Sept. 17.

Kramer’s portion of the leadership forum will take place at 1:15 p.m. in the Jean Hower Taber Student Union Gardner Theatre.

While this event is free for the public to attend, seating is limited. To register for the event and ensure your seat is available, contact Danica Houle, Coordinator of Administrative Services at the College of Business Administration.

Originally established in 1981, the forum is sponsored by the Institute for Global Business in the College of Business Administration and Goodyear.

(The Buchtelite Stock Image)
Wingfoot Three was christened by record-breaking pilot Shaesta Waiz, the youngest female pilot to ever complete a solo flight around the globe.

This event is also part of an annual business leader speaker series at UA that often gives students, faculty and community members the opportunity to hear first hand experience and advice from various leaders of national and international organizations.

In a UA press release, Dr. Susan Hanlon, interim dean of the College of Business Administration, said the University is glad to have Kramer as the keynote speaker this year as it gives students a new opportunity of education about business.

“Our students are very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by the successful leader of one of the world’s most iconic companies,” Hanlon said.

(Image via The University of Akron)
Last year, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company celebrated its 120th anniversary and welcomed Wingfoot Three to the company’s fleet of airships.

Starting in 2000 as vice president of corporate finance, Kramer steadily worked his way up through the chain of leadership roles in the company to become CEO of Goodyear in 2010.

Since achieving this position, Kramer has helped the company reach its highest yearly operating income in 119 years, according to the press release Kramer also played a key role in Goodyear’s naming as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies in Fortune Magazine.

Past speakers in this series included leaders  Penske Corp., J.D. Power and Associates, The J.M. Smucker Company, Blue Apron, The Charles Schwab Corporation, FirstEnergy, The Sherwin-Williams Company and more.