'Get There Award' Honoree Receives His Tires

In a nod to its products that help millions of Americans reach their destinations on a daily basis, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today announced the three medal winners of the Goodyear 'Get there' Award, a recognition program designed to honor those most responsible for helping American athletes achieve their dream of competing on the world's greatest stage in China. The program highlights the often little-known stories of those people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help America's athletes achieve their goals.

Goodyear's selection panel included Olympic decathlon Gold Medalist and three-time World Champion Dan O'Brien. The three medal award winners were selected from amongst 28 individual honorees representing each major sport discipline and recognized for their extraordinary efforts to help the athletes excel.

"Having faced adversity in life and in sport, I know firsthand how important family, coaches and mentors can be to an athlete trying to become the best in the world," said O'Brien, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time World Champion. "Each of the 28 individuals being recognized with the Goodyear 'Get there' Award has proved to today's athletes what I learned when I was competing: that the support of people like them can uplift athletes and help them achieve their goals in even the most stressful times."

"Goodyear is committed to developing best-in-class innovations and breakthrough technologies that help consumers reach their destinations    ... or 'Get there,'" said Joey Viselli, Director of the Goodyear Brand. "What better embodiment of that philosophy than to honor those unsung heroes that have helped American athletes 'Get there' to the ultimate athletic stage."

The three medal winners, selected by a Goodyear panel spearheaded by O'Brien, will be presented with the special Goodyear 'Get there' Award and include:

• James Ravannack, Metairie, LA, for his support of wrestler Daniel Cormier
• Coach Brian Barker, Monroe, CT, for his support of tennis player James Blake
• Jim Pedro, Salem, NH, for his support of judo player Ronda Rousey
  

The 25 other Goodyear 'Get there' Award honorees include:

• [canoe/kayak] Coach Chris Barlow of San Diego, CA, for his support of many of today's Canoe/Kayak athletes
• Coach Alexander Kirillov from Tucson, AZ, for his support of Archer Jennifer Nichols
• Sharon Richards from Round Rock, TX, for her support of her daughter 400m runner Sanya Richards
• Don Chew, Orange, CA, for his support of all five Badminton athletes
• Terri Marzano of Philadelphia, PA, on behalf of her late husband John Marzano, for his inspiration and support of baseball pitcher Mike Koplove
• Arittio Fowles of Miami, FL, for her support of her daughter, basketball player Sylvia Fowles
• Gary Russell, Sr. of Washington, D.C., for his support of his son, Boxer Gary Russell, Jr.
• Davis Phinney of Boulder, CO, for his support of his son, former Olympic medalist and Tour de France stage winner Taylor Phinney
• Former Olympian Sharon Rittenhouse from Santa Cruz, CA, for her support of Diver Ariel Rittenhouse
• Dr. Brendan Furlong of Oldwick, NJ, for his support of the equestrian team athletes both human and equine
• Former Olympian Kathy Zagunis from Beaverton, OR, for her support of daughter Mariel and the women's sabre fencing team
• Coach Liang Qiao Chow of Des Moines, IA, for his support of gymnast Shawn Johnson
• Dr. David Higgins of Olney, MD, for his support of the field hockey team
• Ben Sacksen of Somerset, PA, for his support of modern pentathete Sam Sacksen
• David and Denise Mickelson of Bellevue, WA, for their support of their daughter, rower Anna (Mickelson) Cummins
  
• Head Coach Gary Bodie of Hampton, VA, for his support of the sailing team
• Arnold Tarzy of Potomac, MD, for his support of soccer star Freddy Adu
• Craig Hancock of Eatonton, GA, for his support of his son skeet shooter Vincent Hancock
• Head Coach Mike Candrea of Oklahoma City, OK, for his support of the women's softball team
• Debbie Phelps of Towson, MD, for her support of Olympic medalist Michael Phelps
• Jerry Wartski of New York, NY, for his support of table tennis athlete Wang Chen
• Coach Jimmy Kim of Laguna Niguel, CA for his support of tae kwon do athlete Charlotte Craig
• Ann Boudrot of Billerica, MA, for her support of triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker
• Arnie Ball of Woodburn, IN, for his support of his son volleyball player Lloy Ball
• Kyle Pierce of Shreveport, LA, for his support of weightlifter Kendrick Farris
  

Goodyear is North America's largest tire company. Fortune magazine named Goodyear the World's Most Admired Motor Vehicle Parts Company in its 2008 list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Goodyear employs about 30,000 people in North America and manufactures its products in more than 20 facilities.