Bridgestone's Kurt Danielson headlines NATRE speaker lineup 15.03.2016: Kurt Danielson, president of Bridgestone Commercial Group, will answer

Kurt Danielson, president of Bridgestone Commercial Group, will answer questions during a Keynote: Tireside Chat on Wednesday, during the North American Tire & Retread Expo (NATRE) April 19-21 in New Orleans.


Tire Business Editor and VP/Publisher Dave Zielasko will moderate the discussion posing questions about the commercial tire and retread business to Mr. Danielson, as well as taking questions from the audience.


Mr. Danielson’s participation at NATRE headlines an educational program that includes two panel discussions and seven seminar presentations.


The second annual NATRE will be held at New Orleans’ Ernest N. Morial Convention Center


In his current position since May 2014, Mr. Danielson oversees all business operations within Bridgestone’s North American commercial tire and solutions portfolio, including driving innovation in the development of new products and services. His focus includes building business efficiencies across the Commercial Group.


Mr. Danielson joined then Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. in 1994 as a territory manager in Ohio and has held numerous positions in the company including sales manager of original equipment and truckstop; director of commercial tire marketing, North America; executive director, truck and bus marketing, North America; and vice president truck and bus marketing.


The NATRE educational program, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the first each day of the conference and until 1:30 p.m. each day thereafter, is presented by Tire Business.



Speakers and panels include:


Tuesday, April 19


•    A Retreaders’ Panel, moderated by David Stevens, managing director of the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (panelists to be announced);


•    “Reaching Today’s Connected Consumers with Effective Internet Marketing,” by Matt Winslow, senior instructor, Automotive Training Institute (ATI);


•    “China’s Tire Industry—Latest Developments and Possible Futures,” by David Shaw, head of research, Tire Industry Research; and


•    “Current Issues in Tire Safety and Information Regulations,” by George Gillespie, formerly with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and founder of Gillespie Automotive Services.



Wednesday, April 20


•    “Keynote: Tireside Chat,” with Kurt Danielson, president of Bridgestone Commercial Group, moderated by Dave Zielasko, editor and VP/publisher Tire Business;


•    “Fixing A Dysfunctional Courtesy Check Process,” by Matt Winslow, ATI; and 


•    “Personal Power and its Role in Sales,” by Dan Molloy, president & CEO, Molloy L.L.C.



Thursday, April 21


•    Panel: “Catching Customers in Your ‘Web’: Landing New Business Online,” moderated by Will Schertz, senior reporter, Tire Business. Panelists: Andy Chalofsky, co-owner, Traction Tire/Simple Tire; Bob Lanpher, COO, McGee Tire Stores; and Patrick Braswell, TCS Technology;


•    “State of Commercial Vehicles” by Kenny Veith, Partner, ACT Research Co. L.L.C.; and


•    “Should You Add Industrial Tires to Your Business?” by Paul Dvorak, CEO, American Industrial Tire and Tires International Corp.


In addition to the educational program the North American Tire and Retread Expo includes a trade show of more than 100 booths. The show also offers the Miss Retread Truck Tire and Mr. OTR Radial Retread Beauty Contests and an inaugural party at the New Orleans House of Blues.


Entrance to the expo, including the House of Blues party, is free to all tire dealers, retreaders and others allied to the tire industry. Registration is required to attend. Visit www.usatireexpo.com


    
North American Tire & Retread Expo also photo