Gary did a fantastic job of using business cases and metaphors that helped our leaders see the real-world impacts and implications of deliberate cultural change. He helped set the tone for our leadership summit and his talking points were referenced throughout the day during our critical thinking sessions
Gary Garfield
Former CEO of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
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Gary Garfield
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Gary Garfield
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A Company as a Community Partner
The marriage of a tire company CEO and green initiatives seems unlikely, however that is what Gary Garfield former CEO of Bridgestone Americas brought together under his leadership. While serving as CEO, Gary oversaw the reduction of CO2 admission in Bridgestone plants as well as becoming the first tire company to recycle 100% of its waste in three of its plants. In this personal and forward thinking talk, Gary will show leaders how corporate social responsibility does not have to hurt the bottom line. This is evidence by Bridgestone Americas turning a record profit each year Garfield was the CEO. A company is part of a community therefore, it must be part of a better tomorrow.
Culture First
What must a new CEO must do when its globally recognized brand has grown stagnant and the company is performing poorly? (Chris, the first thing we did was set high expectations, made profitability the focus of the entire organization, and created line of sight on business performance)
Gary Garfield, former CEO of Bridgestone Americas, focused on changing the culture. Garfield brought innovative means to answering the age-old questions of how does a company break down silos, better handle conflict within the organization, and break out of its rut. By answering these questions in a new and fresh way, Garfield took Bridgestone Americas and its 55,000 employees to a 13% increase in revenue and increased profitability by 500% in six years. Garfield led the charge of how to create a better environment for people to work in and how leadership listened to its team members. After hearing this keynote, audiences will have new ideas about how to improve their culture, why it is important to look at how your employees view their jobs, and how to spark innovation in your company.
Leaders Make The Necessary Changes
Turning around a company that has had years of low profits, poor cash flow, and stagnant growth to six years of record breaking profits does not happen by accident. Gary Garfield achieved just this at Bridgestone Americas. Profits grew 500% during his six years as the CEO. In this keynote, Garfield will talk about his journey of leading an iconic brand through explosive growth and profit by changing the focus of the organization, breaking down silos, and changing a tire manufacturer into a marketing company. With a thoughtful approach, audiences will be able to glean takeaways for whatever change their business may be facing.