AKRON, Ohio, August 17, 2011 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was recently recognized by former U.S. Navy secretary and U.S. Senator John Warner (R-Va.) and Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn (Ret.), vice chairman of the CNA Military Advisory Board, for the tiremaker’s success in developing fuel efficient innovations.

The visit to Goodyear’s world headquarters in Akron was part of a nationwide tour sponsored by the Pew Project on National Security, Energy and Climate, a group dedicated to highlighting critical linkages between national security, energy independence, the economy and climate change.

The leaders met with Goodyear officials to discuss initiatives underway at the company to improve the rolling resistance of tires, thereby improving the overall fuel efficiency of civilian and military vehicles. Goodyear is doing this through lightweight tire construction, tire profile, tread design, innovative materials and compounds and new manufacturing processes.

“Tires are highly engineered products and can play a critical role in helping improve fuel efficiency of consumer, commercial and military vehicles,” said Joe Zekoski, Goodyear’s vice president of global product development. “Goodyear is committed to continuing to develop innovative fuel efficient technologies. To date, we have improved overall rolling resistance of our tires by 30 percent.”

Zekoski explained that Goodyear offers its Fuel Max Technology in tires for both consumer and commercial vehicles, helping reduce the amount of imported oil needed to power these vehicles.

“The tire, a very basic and fundamental part of every vehicle can generate energy efficiency and be a savings and -- bottom line -- make America less dependent on foreign oil,” said Senator Warner.  “So I say ‘well done’ to the employees here in Akron of Goodyear and all across the country and all across the world.”

Admiral McGinn, who as a Naval Aviator experienced nearly 1,000 jet landings on Goodyear tires, said: “I came to Akron and to Goodyear expecting to be impressed and this visit has exceeded even my high expectations. The innovation that is evident here in this great American company with global reach is really, really impressive.”

During the visit, Goodyear displayed a prototype military tire built for the Fuel Efficient Demonstrator (FED) project initiated by the Office of Secretary of Defense. The tire was designed for an experimental vehicle under development by Ricardo Inc., a Detroit-based company charged with creating a fuel efficient replacement for the current military Humvee. The prototype Goodyear tire achieves a 40 percent improvement in rolling resistance compared to current military tires through new materials, size and inflation pressure.

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies.  It employs approximately 73,000 people and manufactures its products in 54 facilities in 22 countries around the world.  Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry.  For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com.