OTR tire conference to feature wide array of speakers

Author Steve Gilliland will discuss how the conscious choices people make every day impact the lives of others during a motivational speech on the final day of the 2020 Off-the-Road Tire Conference, presented by the Tire Industry Association (TIA).

Titled “Making a Difference,” the speech will detail how to positively influence people in every imaginable way, regardless of position or status.

TIA’s 65th annual OTR Tire Conference takes place Feb. 19-22 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif. In addition to an extensive educational program, the conference includes tabletop exhibits, networking opportunities and leisure activities, including golf.

The OTR Conference kicks off Feb. 19 with a report of planned events surrounding the association’s 100th anniversary in 2020. This will be followed by a review of “OTR Demount and Mount Training,” presented by Roy Galyer, global sales and training manager for Klinge Tyre Management Systems, and Matt White, TIA’s director of tire service. A third session that afternoon will cover “Wheel Torque Guidelines,” featuring Matt Hess, engineering project team lead tire and rims at Caterpillar Inc., and Galyer and White.

The program on Feb. 20 will begin with U.S. and Canadian Economic Forecasts presented by TIA’s Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training, and Glenn Maidment, president of the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada. An End-User Panel will follow, moderated by Modern Tire Dealer Publisher Greg Smith. Panelists include Robert Smart, procurement category manager, mobile equipment, Martin Marietta, and Lonnie Sullivan, strategic sourcing manager, mobile equipment, Vulcan Materials Co.

Author Dave Rosenberg will lead off the program on Feb. 21 with a speech titled, “Locked on Leadership: The Secret High-Performance Self-directed Teams.” A panel on “The Next Generation of the OTR Industry” will follow featuring moderator Alexander Klinge, general manager of Klinge Tyre Management Systems, and panelists JP Dowling, director of mining, CMC Tire; Eric Griffin, president of Inland Industrial Tire North Inc.; Austin Hale, mid-Atlantic OTR regional sales manager, McCarthy Tire Service; Sam Kwa, OTR technical service manager, Yokohama Tire Corp.; and Chris Rhoades, senior product manager technical services, BKT USA Inc.

Next, Yokohama’s Bruce Besancon, vice president, off the road sales, will deliver the manufacturer’s keynote on “Predicting the Future of OTR Tires by Looking at the Past and Present,” with Gilliland’s motivational speech ending the morning session.

Two final breakout sessions will be led by Wayne Desormeau, global product and innovation manager, Specialized Maintenance Equipment, and TIA CEO Roy Littlefield.

Desormeau will lead a discussion on the subject “Remotely Lift and Secure the Complete Axle of an Ultra-Class Haul Truck.”

Littlefield will provide a 2020 Legislative Review of “How New Laws and Regulation will Impact the OTR Industry.”

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