Yokohama Makes First Hire

FULLERTON, CA. – (Nov. 7, 2013) – Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi (YTMM), a manufacturing subsidiary of Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC), has announced the hiring of its first employee, Human Resources Manager Melissa Orman.

Orman will be responsible for hiring personnel at YTMM’s new commercial tire plant in West Point, Mississippi, according to Rob Harrelson, YTC vice president, human resources and administration. Groundbreaking for the $300 million facility, which is set to open in October 2015, took place in September.

Approximately 500 jobs will be created during the first phase of operations. The one million-square-foot factory will include production, warehousing and operations facilities, and will produce up to one million tires annually.

“Things are moving quickly with the plant,” said Harrelson, “and we are ready to start hiring. Bringing Melissa onboard was a crucial step in the process. She’s a West Point resident, Mississippi State University (MSU) cum laude graduate and brings significant experience to the post. We are glad to have her on our team.”

“I look forward to joining the Yokohama Tire team in Mississippi and building another strong part of this great company,” said Orman, a Professional in Human Resources (PHR). She has a Bachelor of Accountancy and a Master’s of Professional Accountancy from MSU.

Orman was director of human resources at Navistar Defense in conjunction with Griffin Armor. At peak employment, the Navistar West Point facility had employment exceeding 1,000 people.

Prior to joining Navistar, Orman was vice president and CFO for Trailboss Trailer in Macon, Mississippi, a heavy-duty trailer manufacturer. She helped develop and maintain ongoing cost analysis of manufacturing and sales strategies in the position.

Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company’s complete product line includes tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama’s extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.