Jimmy Yang, Kenda Rubber Industrial’s chairman, announced that David (Dave) Craig will be joining the Kenda team as vice president of American Kenda and General Manager of its wholly owned Americana Tire & Wheel Division.
In his new role, Craig will have management responsibilities at American Kenda as well as complete responsibility for the company’s Americana Tire & Wheel division, where he will be filling the position vacated by Jerry Sampson, who will be retiring at the end of this year.
Craig comes to Kenda with a wealth of experience in the tire industry, including 24 years with Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., where he held various senior positions both domestically and internationally.
His career has covered responsibilities in areas of corporate strategy, global marketing, international sales, product development, OEM sales, mergers and acquisitions, global logistics, and plant operations.
Additionally, he spent three years living in the U.K. in a senior sales and marketing position.
Craig, who holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Findley and an MBA from Bowling Green State University, currently resides with his wife, Kim, and their two children in Findley, Ohio, however with this new position, he will soon be relocating to Columbus, Ohio.
Yang expressed that he is pleased to have Craig join the Kenda team and looks forward to working with him to continue Kenda’s growth into the future.