The Tire Industry Association announced author Steve Gilliland will speak at the 2020 OTR Tire conference and will discuss how the conscious choices people make every day impact the lives of others in a motivational speech on the final day of the conference.

Titled “Making a Difference,” the speech will detail how to positively influence people in every imaginable way, regardless of position or status. Gilliland’s speech is sponsored by BKT USA Inc.

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 Wednesday afternoon, 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 Thursday morning, 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 Friday morning, 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.

Friday afternoon will feature two breakout sessions. Wayne Desormeau, global product and innovation manager, Specialized Maintenance Equipment, will lead a discussion on the subject “Remotely Lift and Secure the Complete Axle of an Ultra-Class Haul Truck.” In addition, TIA CEO Roy Littlefield will provide a 2020 Legislative Review of “How New Laws and Regulation will Impact the OTR Industry.”

For more information about the 2020 OTR Conference, visit the TIA website, www.tireindustry.org.

Tagged: JP Dowling

Author Steve Gilliland to address 2020 OTR Tire Conference