THRIVE by Bridgestone Americas

The idea of a fleet may bring to mind a very specific type of vehicle for some people. But the reality in the modern world of mobility is that fleets truly come in all shapes and sizes.  In the latest episode of THRIVE, host Keith Cawley explores the changing world of commercial tire and fleet solutions with two of Bridgestone's top experts – Steve Hoeft, President of the Commercial Truck Group for Bridgestone Americas, and Brian Cunningham, Vice President of Fleet Solutions Customer Success for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. From traditional tractor trailers to emerging home delivery services, Steve and Brian discuss how innovative technologies and digital solutions are coming together with premium tire products to serve a diverse range of modern fleets across all areas of business

Explore Bridgestone's fascinating history on the western coast of Africa where the country of Liberia has been home to Firestone Natural Rubber since 1926. In the latest episode of THRIVE, host Keith Cawley chats with two Liberian natives and current Firestone Natural Rubber employees, Marion Wreh-Socree and Murphy Socree, about operations, life, and community on a sprawling natural rubber farm that covers approximately 185 square miles. Rick Burnett, Vice President of Internal Manufacturing and President of Firestone Natural Rubber and Firestone Polymers, also joins to discuss the company's history in Liberia and how it is evolving for the future through an award-winning digitalization project. Listen to learn more about the complexity of an operation that goes well beyond farming to provide housing, roadways, schools, medical centers, and more for thousands of employees and their families.

It was only four years after its founding as a rubber and tire company that Bridgestone produced its first golf ball. Nearly 90 years later, Bridgestone Golf continues to serve the Bridgestone brand both as a promotional platform and a showcase for material science innovation. Join host Keith Cawley and Dan Murphy, President of Bridgestone Golf, to discover the parallels that connect Bridgestone tire technology to golf ball development – with a little research and development help from golf legends like Tiger Woods.

When you think of robots, most envision the rigid movements of the metallic, stiff machines popularized in TV and movies. But there is a very different and more realistic image that comes to mind for Hiroki Nakayama and the team at Bridgestone Soft Robotics Ventures. While exhibiting this exploratory technology at CES 2024, Nakayama-san joins THRIVE host Keith Cawley to explain how our rubber, material science, and friction expertise make Bridgestone a natural fit for this space. Listen along to explore more about how Bridgestone Soft Robotics Ventures views the dynamic realm of this innovation, its applications, and it's potential impact on the perception of human-robot interaction.

Human trafficking is a global crisis impacting more than 50 million victims as of 2023. With a connected network of customers and partners always moving across America's roadways, transportation industry leaders like Bridgestone can play a critical role in the fight. In this episode of THRIVE from CES 2024, Esther Goetsch, Executive Director of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), and Josh Holland, Vice President of Dealer Operations for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, join host Keith Cawley to discuss how TAT and Bridgestone working together to raise awareness of the problem and drive change.

Motorsports have long been a proving ground and mobile lab for leaders in the automotive industry, and Bridgestone is no different. But in line with its vision for the future and long-term targets, the company is increasingly focusing its racing energy in emerging motorsports platforms that are trying to drive innovation in alternative and more sustainable mobility – such as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. In the latest episode of THRIVE recorded at CES 2024, host Keith Cawley chats with Todd Uchida, Director of the Bridgestone Motorsports Division in Japan, and Matthew Albert, captain of the Éclipse ÉTS World Solar Challenge team, to go inside this unique solar car competition and where it fits within Bridgestone's global motorsports and business strategies.

Dive into the connected ecosystem of fleet management in this episode of THRIVE live from CES 2024. Dishing on data and talking telematics, host Keith Cawley sits down with Jan-Maarten de Vries, President of Fleet Management Solutions for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, to explore how platforms like Webfleet and Azuga are integral to Bridgestone's mobility solutions strategy. From collecting real-time data from vehicles to providing actionable insights to fleet managers, these platforms have the potential to influence energy and emissions, cost of ownership, predictive maintenance, and more in the pursuit of improved efficiency, safety and sustainability.

With a shared history in motorsports and a common vision for a more sustainable future, Penske and Bridgestone continue to travel similar paths to drive change in the mobility industry. In this episode live from CES 2024, THRIVE host Keith Cawley chats with Bill Combs, Vice President of Sustainability at Penske, and Mark Metoki, Executive Director of Sustainability Enabling Solutions for Bridgestone, about areas of collaboration, co-creation, and shared learning where these two historic companies are working closely together to advance operations and innovation both within their own businesses and across the mobility ecosystem. 

THRIVE kicks off season 7 at CES 2024 by exploring the rapid advancement of autonomous vehicle technologies with Don Burnette, CEO and founder of Kodiak Robotics, and Cassiano Polycarpo, Director of Original Equipment Account Management for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. Don shares his journey from the early days at Google's self-driving team to founding Kodiak Robotics, while Cassiano explains how Bridgestone is making an impact on these technologies. Between current breakthroughs and a critical role to be played by tires, the future is now for both Kodiak and Bridgestone when it comes to bringing driver-less vehicles to the road.

In October 2023, Bridgestone introduced the next chapter in its global strategy with the formation of Bridgestone West. In this episode of THRIVE, CEO Paolo Ferrari sits down with Keith Cawley to explain the drivers of this dynamic integration, which is bringing together Bridgestone businesses and functions across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Paolo shares how this new global structure will accelerate business opportunities, expand synergies, and foster best practice sharing across the regions to help deliver Bridgestone's vision to become a sustainable solutions company.

Bridgestone introduced the concept of ENLITEN in 2022 and is moving quickly to demonstrate the impact it can make in both its product strategy and operations. Already in 2023 Bridgestone has launched two new ENLITEN products that are changing the game through advanced materials and design, including the breakthrough PeakLife polymer. In this episode, host Keith Cawley is joined by Jess Placke and Dale Harrigle, two engineers from the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center in Akron, Ohio, who played pivotal roles in delivering the company's first tire designed exclusively for EVs and an ultra-high performance all-season tire with longer wear life than ever before.

Quality is a word that carries immense importance at Bridgestone, but it can mean different things to different people. Join THRIVE host Keith Cawley as he quizzes quality leaders about the crucial role their team plays in fulfilling Bridgestone's mission. Chris Lasko, Chief Quality Officer, and Nick Turk, the Executive Director of Quality Operations, join Keith to discuss how quality spans the enterprise, sets the tone for customer experience, and connects the dots across a massive enterprise to ensure Bridgestone's unyielding standards are achieved at all times.

Hi there, and welcome to THRIVE, a Bridgestone Americas podcast exploring our company through compelling conversations with the people moving us forward every day. Our conversations dive deep into the different areas of our business and how they support our strategic vision. We also unpack our history, highlight our culture, and connect the dots on tangible efforts we're driving to deliver our commitment to help create a better world for future generations. At Bridgestone, we believe that today, tomorrow, together, we thrive. We hope you'll join us on the ride.

From humble beginnings in Akron, Ohio, the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company grew to become a global powerhouse in the transportation industry. Now the history of the company and its pioneering founder, Harvey Firestone, lives on through the Firestone Archives – one of the most robust corporate archives ever assembled. More than 120 years of chronicled history includes correspondence with U.S. Presidents, detailed journals of intimate friendships with innovation icons like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, photos and memorabilia from extreme glamping adventures, and a whole lot more. Join Gloria Caples, Firestone's brand manager, Jennifer Andreola, lead archivist from History Factory, and THRIVE host Keith Cawley to learn about the importance of the Firestone Archives and what interesting items have been preserved.

Season six of THRIVE takes off with a reconnect on our Bridgestone purpose. Join host Keith Cawley for a conversation with Sara Correa, Chief Marketing Officer at Bridgestone Americas, and Wade Munday, Director of Corporate Philanthropy and Social Impact, as they explore how the Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund, brand partnerships, local community initiatives, and more are helping address what really matters in our communities and society.

Teams across Bridgestone are increasingly focused on helping the company advance toward its long-term sustainability goals, but one group in particular has this pursuit more explicitly outlined in its name. From developing new demo tires with 75% recycled and renewable materials to forging partnerships that seek to unlock new possibilities for end-of-life tires, the Sustainable Business Office is tasked with identifying, innovating, evaluating, and incubating exploratory opportunities that can drive value for society and our customers. Erik Seidel, Vice President of the Sustainable Business Office, and Marcela Castaño, Lead Applied Researcher of Sustainable Materials and Circular Economy, join host Keith Cawley to break it all down.

Bridgestone is doubling down on ensuring both its processes and products make a positive environmental impact as it continues its journey to become a sustainable solutions company. In addition to advancing smart manufacturing with cutting edge technologies, Bridgestone is driving innovative environmental projects in manufacturing to make further progress against its bold long-term sustainability  goals. This episode features Greg Harris, Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering, and Nick Ramos, Executive Director of Environmental Affairs, two leaders leaning into cross-functional collaboration to push plans related to energy, ecology, and beyond that can help make a lasting impact on our planet.

The base concept of the newly-introduced term ENLITEN is the same for everyone at Bridgestone: a complete focus on maximizing both performance and sustainability. However, it can mean something different depending on the audience, serving as an internal operational mindset that influences end-to-end activities across our entire company, as well as an external designation for premium products and solutions that feature our most innovative materials and technology. In this episode, Bridgestone Americas COO Scott Damon offers enlightenment to help simplify the world of ENLITEN and beyond.

At Bridgestone, how we operate is just as critical as what we produce. In pioneering sustainable solutions for a digital world, we're making investments that accelerate smart manufacturing and make our operations safer, more efficient, and more data driven. In this episode, host Keith Cawley chats with Andy Warren, Senior Manager of Engineering Services Support, and Joe Wilson, Director of Maintenance and Plant Support, about a world of new technologies in our manufacturing plants that include robot dogs, extended reality, 3D mapping and more.

A digital transformation is evolving how we work at Bridgestone to support the need for data to be available to teammates, partners and customers whenever and wherever they need it. But smoothly and securely delivering this efficiency and convenience in a modern world doesn't happen overnight. In this episode, host Keith Cawley talks to Bridie Sellers, Vice President and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Lead, and Tom Corridon, Chief Information Security Officer, about large-scale digitalization initiatives taking place across the company that are designed to streamline, protect and enhance the work we do.

The Bridgestone Women's Initiative Network, or BWIN for short, was created in 2016 as the company's first Employee Resource Group (ERG). With a mission to position women to thrive and lead at Bridgestone, BWIN has since expanded its membership into the thousands across borders and business units. Additionally, the group has provided a foundational framework for the creation of other ERGs and played a pivotal role in championing the company's broader DE&I initiatives. In celebration of International Women's Day, THRIVE host Keith Cawley welcomes BWIN President, Sarah Daley, and Vice President, Taz Kalolwala, to discuss BWIN's focus on attracting, retaining and developing female teammates and promoting gender diversity at Bridgestone.

THRIVE Season 5's opening road trip to CES 2023 closes with a deep dive into one a marquee displays in the Bridgestone booth that demonstrates how tire, smart sensor, and Firestone Airide technology are being integrated to create one advanced mobility solution. Host Keith Cawley is joined by two Bridgestone teammates – Kevin Scheifele, Strategic Innovation Design Lead, and Terence Wei, Senior Manager of Advanced Solutions – to discuss how this new and innovative project unifies the development of tires and air springs into a connected, smart corner concept that will make the journey smoother, safer and more efficient for autonomous and electric vehicles (A-EVs).

THRIVE Season 5 is starting on the road with host Keith Cawley bringing listeners bite-size episodes from CES 2023. Technology has made vehicles smarter, more efficient, and even more entertaining, yet it's done little to help simplify how drivers and fleet owners pay for fuel, service, and more – until now. In this episode, Keith is joined by Car IQ Founder and CEO Sterling Pratz, who created a path for vehicles to become one-touch payment solutions that receive, store and send funds securely. Find out how this new payment technology can streamline and safeguard spending for fleets, and what potential opportunities it could unlock for service, retail, and more.

THRIVE Season 5 is starting on the road with host Keith Cawley bringing listeners bite-size episodes from CES 2023. When you think of digital transformation, few names stand out like Microsoft. For decades, the iconic tech giant has blended innovative people, processes, data, and technology to help organizations evolve. In this episode, Keith sits down with Eric Chaniot – General Manager of Automotive, Mobility and Transportation at Microsoft – to explore the massive challenges mobility companies like Bridgestone are navigating through their digital transformation, and why culture and mindset often matter more than technology.

THRIVE Season 5 is starting on the road with host Keith Cawley bringing listeners bite-size episodes from CES 2023. In this episode, Keith connects with mobility powerhouse Bosch to discuss the massive transformation happening across the automotive industry. Paul Thomas, VP of Mobility for Bosch in the Americas, shares insight on how Bosch is evolving, much like Bridgestone, from systems and hardware to solutions that can make the vehicle safer, smarter and more efficient.

THRIVE Season 5 is starting on the road with host Keith Cawley bringing listeners bite-size episodes from CES 2023. In this conversation, Keith dives into the high-speed world of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), which organizes racing competitions with self-driving cars programmed by university teams from across the globe. Keith talks with Paul Mitchell, President of the IAC, about the latest in autonomous mobility and how high-speed racing offers the ultimate proving ground for the AI, robotics and supercomputers that will shape the future of transportation.

THRIVE Season 5 is starting on the road with host Keith Cawley bringing listeners bite-size episodes from CES 2023. In this first episode, we visit the Amazon Web Services (AWS) booth to dig deep into the world of data and insights with Wendy Bauer, general manager of AWS Automotive and Manufacturing. Learn how AWS is leveraging cloud and connected technologies to accelerate innovation, and how they are partnering together with Bridgestone to create a more efficient and sustainable mobility ecosystem of the future.

Whether rolling on four wheels or two, enthusiast drivers pour their time, money and passion into automotive pursuits, and they deserve tires that reward these investments. THRIVE host Keith Cawley chats with Ian McKenney, Senior Product Manager for Consumer Tire, and Jared Williams, General Manager of Motorcycle Products in the U.S. and Canada, about how Bridgestone is doubling down on the ultra-high performance (UHP) tires that are necessary for this lifestyle.

In our world of tires, what you see carrying cars and trucks in your daily travels is just the beginning. One of Bridgestone's most premium tire portfolios is off the road – literally. The Off the Road (OTR) tire business supports vital industries that operate in the most grueling conditions, including mining and construction. This is where you'll find the biggest tires that Bridgestone makes, as well as some of the company's biggest technology breakthroughs. Keith Cawley talks to Rob Seibert, President of Off the Road, and Grok Gates, Director of Business Development for Off the Road Mobility Solutions, about how their combination of high-performing products, innovative digital solutions, and premier customer service is meeting the incredible demands placed of the OTR industry.

There is no debating that events of the past few years have altered our professional and personal lives. In response to these shifts, a more open and dynamic conversation is growing around personal well-being, as well as the role employers play in supporting their employees. In this episode, Keith Cawley talks with two well-being experts at Bridgestone: Molly Colli, Director of Benefits Administration and Operations, and Mark Cecil, Director of Health and Well-being Benefits Strategy, about how Bridgestone is working to meet teammates where they are with physical, emotional or financial well-being resources that can help them thrive.

Bridgestone Americas Veterans Organization, or BRAVO for short, is an Employee Resource Group that not only plays a major role in helping the company recruit and retain teammates with military service, but it also invites both veterans and non-veterans to unite in a fellowship of service. In this episode of THRIVE, the group's President and Vice President, Joe Bailey and Marty Morrison, offer listeners an overview of BRAVO's journey, it's objectives, and its ongoing activities at Bridgestone.

Did you know Bridgestone has its own payment solutions company? CFNA was founded in the late 1970s to provide customers with financing help for auto care. Considering 50% of Americans are ill prepared for surprise costs of $500 or more, CFNA has proven to be a financing lifeline to customers for five decades. Learn more about how CFNA fits into Bridgestone in this episode of THRIVE when host Keith Cawley chats with Brian Zempel, President of CFNA.

In the first episode of THRIVE season 4, Sara Correa, Chief Marketing Officer for Bridgestone Americas, introduces Bridgestone's succinct new brand voice: What Really Matters. The multi-channel behavioral platform is a new approach for the iconic brand, which is shifting its marketing to focus on actions over advertisements and purpose over performance. Learn more about how it will help Bridgestone tell its mobility and sustainability stories, engage it's wide-ranging stakeholders, and deliver on its North Star and the Bridgestone E8 Commitment.

Bridgestone's roots in the Rubber City of Akron, Ohio date back more than 120 years through the Firestone brand, and significant investments over the past few decades have further solidified this region as the home of Bridgestone Americas research and development well into the future. Now in 2022, the company is also ready to add a new chapter to its storied history of race tire manufacturing in the Akron area with the opening of the new Advanced Tire Production Center (ATPC). In this episode, THRIVE goes on the road to speak with Dan Peterman, Senior Manager of Race Tire Manufacturing, and Jerry Morris, Senior Manager of Technology Center Operations, about how the ATPC came to be, what it will produce, and why it means so much to both our company and the local community.

While the structure, technology and performance of tires has evolved significantly over time, the one constant for more than a century has been the air required for it to function. But as Bridgestone considers the future of mobility, the introduction of non-pneumatic tires – or airfree tires – would be a significant breakthrough for safety, efficiency, maintenance, and sustainability. In this episode, THRIVE goes on the road to the Bridgestone Americas Technical Center in Akron, Ohio to chat with Jon Kimpel, Vice President of Extended Mobility Solutions, and Brandon Nelson, Manager of Advanced Extended Mobility Technology, about where Bridgestone is focusing its airfree efforts and where we stand on that tire development journey.

Bridgestone has outlined a vision to provide value to society and its customers in the future as a sustainable solutions company. Now through its global Bridgestone E8 Commitment, the company is more clearly defining that value with eight focus areas - energy, ecology, efficiency, extension, economy, emotion, ease, and empowerment. Bridgestone Americas President and CEO Paolo Ferrari joins THRIVE to further explain the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, how it connects to our BSAM North Star, and how it will guide our global decision-making to earn the trust of future generations.

Bridgestone knows collaboration, not isolation, is the key to realizing its transformation into a sustainable solutions company. Michael Molitor and Charlotte Ammouri are part of the corporate development team responsible for helping identify, cultivate and execute strategic investments, partnerships and more – and they've had a busy few months. The duo sits down with host Keith Cawley to discuss the run of recent moves that are shaping Bridgestone's portfolio around co-creation and mutual value in the emerging technology and sustainability spaces.

Creating an Employee Resource Group (ERG) for young professionals at Bridgestone looking to grow and develop seemed straightforward when BNEXTGEN was formed in 2018, but the group soon realized there was significant appetite and opportunity to continuously learn and network across all age groups in our company. Now renamed BNEXT, the group is embracing a broader focus on cultivating Bridgestone leaders throughout our multi-generational workforce. In this episode, host Keith Cawley sits down with two its leaders – Derryl Collett, Inclusion Business Specialist in BSAM's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Center of Excellence, and Matthew Trautman, Finance Director for Firestone Industrial Products – to learn more about how BNEXT is promoting connection, mentorship and support for teammates young and old in their careers at Bridgestone.

They may not have a crystal ball, but a cross-functional team at Bridgestone of experts and innovators still manages to predict the future when it comes to gauging industry trends and anticipating the needs of customers and consumers. In this episode of THRIVE, host Keith Cawley talks with Will Robbins, Director of Consumer Product Strategy, and Iris Ocasio, Consumer Product Planner, about how Bridgestone dreams up what's next for its product portfolio, what factors influence strategy and design, and how we bring it all to market.

With battery electric and hybrid vehicles estimated to represent more than half of U.S. new cars sales by 2030, new electric vehicle startups are disrupting the car parc to drive innovation with and against the traditional automotive giants. Our host Keith Cawley explores Bridgestone's strategy for identifying and working with these emerging original equipment manufacturers (eOEMs) in a conversation with Cassiano Polycarpo, Director of OE Business Development for Bridgestone, and Brooke Helsley, Director of Service Merchandising and Strategic Planning for Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO).

Bringing the garage to you. That's precisely what Bridgestone's newest business – Firestone Direct – is accomplishing with a new mobile tire and vehicle service that offers tire installation and repair, oil changes, brake work, and more to customers at the comforts of their home or office. In this episode, Keith Cawley explores how Firestone Direct is reimagining auto care through a conversation with mobile specialist, Chris Allard, and Bridgestone's business lead for Mobile Tire and Service, Angie Oleson.  

Bridgestone's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have a big influence on our workplace culture where teammates are free to be their authentic selves. In celebration of Black History Month, host Keith Cawley chats with two leaders from BBOLD, our ERG for Black and African-American teammates and their allies. Kristy Offitt, Senior Counsel for Labor and Employment, and Don Frost, Senior Project Manager, discuss what BBOLD has meant to them personally, as well as the impact BBOLD is looking to make in the company now and in the future.

In 1957, at a time when the term sustainability was relatively unknown, Bridgestone's Bandag business began pioneering the concept of retreading tires. Since then, its efforts to extend tire life have kept 300 million tires out of the waste stream. In 2021 alone, Bandag's retreading of  6 million tires  saved 4.8 Billion kWh in new tire production, which is enough energy to power over 160 million homes. Our host Keith Cawley sits down with two of Bridgestone's retread leaders – Jason Roanhouse, Executive Director of Bandag Operations, and Christine Reagan, the Commercial Retread Solutions Lead on Bridgestone's Extended Mobility Team– to better understand how retreading is not only reducing costs for Bandag customers, but is also a driving force in Bridgestone's transformation to a sustainable solutions company.

To kick off season three, host Keith Cawley invites Taren Rodabaugh, Chief Information Officer at Bridgestone Americas, to the THRIVE studio for our first in-person podcast to talk technology and the digital transformation taking place both in and around Bridgestone. They discuss how this digitalization is impacting our workplace and our North Star strategy, what is on the horizon for Bridgestone IT in 2022, and how Taren approaches leading diverse and hybrid teams in an ever evolving environment.

Welcome to season 3 of THRIVE, a Bridgestone Americas Podcast where you'll get to hear – and for the first time see – our conversations with the people pushing our company forward every day. We'll discuss strategy and vision, explore key business areas like mobility and sustainability, and highlight aspects of our company culture that make Bridgestone such an exciting and engaging place to work.

In the final episode of season two, host Keith Cawley talks to Nizar Trigui, Chief Technology Officer and Group President of Solutions Businesses at Bridgestone Americas, about how the various topics of conversation on season 1 and 2 of THRIVE truly connect within one overall strategy that is bringing our North Star to life. Nizar explores our approach and activity related to research and development, investments and partnerships, sustainability and circular economy, and more to provide insight into how Bridgestone is truly moving the world ahead by leading a revolution in mobility.

In September of 2021, Bridgestone Americas accelerated its mobility solutions journey by acquiring Azuga, a Silicon Valley-based technology company revolutionizing fleet management in the U.S. with a powerful platform that provides insights and data analytics for vehicle operations and driver behavior. THRIVE host Keith Cawley dives into this exciting partnership with Azuga's Founder and CEO, Ananth Rani, and Bridgestone's President of Mobility Solutions and Fleet Management, Brian Goldstine to discuss Azuga's story, why Bridgestone was its ideal fit, and how both sides are working together to create the most sustainable and intelligent mobility solutions of the future.

In 2015, Bridgestone forged a unique partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools to support the Maplewood High School Automotive Training Center, an immersive program helping students develop trade skills and identify career opportunities in the auto industry. The successful venture has already graduated more than 110 students and is now being replicated through a similar partnership in Akron, Ohio. In this episode, THRIVE host Keith Cawley talks to Miss TJ Williams, the heart and soul of the Maplewood program, and one of her recent graduates, Jacqueline Nanney, who now works at a Firestone Auto Care store in Nashville.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are critical components in Bridgestone's efforts to build a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2020, B~UNIDOS was introduced as a new ERG to engage Hispanic and Latinx teammates and their allies at Bridgestone. On this episode, our host Keith Cawley talks to B~UNIDOS co-presidents Paola Mendoza, Talent Acquisition Partner, and Griscelle Anacker, Strategic Business Planning Lead, about how and why the group was formed, its strategies for engagement, and the goals driving it forward as they celebrate its one-year anniversary during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Bridgestone is proud to serve as a Worldwide Paralympic Partner to promote diversity and inclusivity through sport, and it works with a trio of adaptive sports groups in North America to extend these efforts into its local communities. This episode of THRIVE is hosted by Zac Ellis while our regular host Keith Cawley (whose day job involves managing communications for our sports partnerships) takes a turn in the guest seat to talk about how these partnerships are making a difference. They are joined by Team Bridgestone athlete and Challenged Athletes Foundation ambassador Scout Bassett, whose inspiring personal journey as a Paralympian continues to inspire young adaptive athletes to chase their own dreams.

We know tires are black and round and made of rubber, but there's extensive complexity that lies beneath that general description – especially when it comes to rubber. This episode of THRIVE explores the science and sourcing of rubber at Bridgestone Americas today, and introduces you to a desert shrub named guayule (pronounced why-YOO-lee) that could provide a domestic and sustainable source of rubber for the future. Join THRIVE host Keith Cawley for a discussion with two of Bridgestone's sharpest sustainability minds: Bill Niaura, Director of Sustainable Materials and Circular Economy, and Dave Dierig, Section Manager of Agro Operations.