Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (Bridgestone) today announced that Stephen Parr has been named plant manager of the Aiken County Off-Road Tire Plant (Aiken ORR), succeeding Adam Barfoot, who has been named director, operational excellence, Bridgestone Americas Manufacturing Group (BAMG). As plant manager, Parr will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of plant operations at Aiken ORR.
Parr was most recently director, manufacturing industrial operations, BAMG, in Nashville. He has 17 years of manufacturing operations and management experience, including positions at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Ford Motor Company, Harley Davidson Motor Company and Big Dog Motorcycles. Parr earned his bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University and a Master of Business Administration from Baker University.
“Stephen has been a key asset to BAMG through his support of major renovation projects at several of our plants. His strong background in manufacturing operations and his focus on teammate and leadership development make Stephen the right person to lead Aiken ORR through its upcoming expansion phase,” said Barry Owens, vice president, BAMG.
In his new role, Barfoot will be responsible for BAMG Industrial Engineering, Technical Training and Development (NA-MEC), and Project Management Office, as well as Firestone Fibers & Textiles, which has manufactured standard industry items and unique proprietary materials for specialized applications and has developed many proprietary processes and unique procedures that contribute to the quality of its fibers and fabrics since 1935. It operates plants in Gastonia and Kings Mountain, N.C. Barfoot will relocate to Nashville.
“Adam was instrumental in the start-up of the Aiken ORR Plant and has continued to play a critical role in the plant’s success over the past three years,” said Owens. “In this new capacity, we look to leverage Adam’s technical abilities in supporting many operational excellence initiatives on both the local and global manufacturing levels.”
