AKRON, Ohio, March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) associates will be honored at the fifth annual Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards in Washington, D.C., on April 20.

At the event, The Manufacturing Institute will recognize Melissa Ross as a STEP Ahead Honoree and Mbeke Perez as a STEP Ahead Emerging Leader.

"We are proud that The Manufacturing Institute has once again chosen to recognize Goodyear associates with STEP Ahead Awards this year," said Steve McClellan, president, Goodyear Americas. "Both Melissa and Mbeke began their careers at Goodyear and have made their mark on the company through their innovative thinking, strong leadership and engagement in both the company and the community."

"I hope this award not only honors the recipients but also inspires the many other women who work in STEM-related roles at Goodyear," said McClellan.

Ross is the director of project management and capital planning for Goodyear's North America business. She was chosen as a STEP Ahead Awards Honoree because of her leadership at work, in the community and in her field. Ross joined Goodyear shortly after graduation from college, serving in a series of engineering and project management roles across Goodyear's global manufacturing footprint. Ross is not only engaged in her work, but she is also involved in other areas of the company and in the community. She serves as a mentor for millennial Goodyear associates and has helped enhance a co-op program in Goodyear's Global Engineering group by working with her colleagues to create clear objectives focused on improving the diversity and overall success rate of the program. Ross also participated in the Community Leadership Institute, partnering with Leadership Akron, and is a member of Women Who Care Medina, an organization that raises funds for local charitable organizations.

Perez was a process safety management engineer at Goodyear's Houston chemical facility when she was chosen for this award and has since been promoted to engineer associate. She is being recognized as a STEP Ahead Emerging Leader for the enthusiasm she has demonstrated at work and in the Houston community. Since beginning her career with Goodyear nearly three years ago, Perez has positively impacted the entire Houston plant population with her dedicated focus on process safety. She has significantly improved numerous processes and systems within the plant and has demonstrated leadership by sharing her expertise broadly with other Goodyear associates. Perez is also highly involved in the plant's Associate Activities Committee, which engages Goodyear associates and the community. 

The STEP Ahead Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched by The Manufacturing Institute to examine and promote the role of women in manufacturing through recognition, research and leadership for attracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent.

The Manufacturing Institute is an affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. It is committed to delivering leading-edge information and services to the nation's manufacturers.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 66,000 people and manufactures its products in 48 facilities in 21 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/corporate. 

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SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company