Bridgestone Corporation Honored With Seventh Consecutive General Motor Supplier of theYear Award Bridgestone/Firestone’s John Lampe accepts award for North American employees NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 25, 2002) - Surrounded by nearly 2,000 cheering employees, dealers and their families at the Nashville Superspeedway, Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding Inc. (BFAH) CEO and President John Lampe accepted Bridgestone Corporation’s seventh consecutive General Motors Supplier of the Year award on behalf of BFAH employees during a special pre-race ceremony. The presentation, on Saturday, July 20, was part of a full day of exceptional activities that preceded the Firestone Indy 200. The award, presented by Rimon Nasr, Director of GM Worldwide Purchasing Chemical, is given to those GM suppliers who exhibit exceptional performance in quality, service, technology and price. Only 91 companies were honored this year with this award. This is the seventh consecutive GM Supplier of the Year award for Bridgestone Corporation, whose global family of companies includes BFAH. The company has received the award nine times since 1992, the first year the awards were presented, and is the only tire company to win multiple global QSTP awards. In presenting the award, Nasr told Lampe and employees, “Your tires make our vehicles better.” "Bridgestone/Firestone continues to excel because of the dedication and determination of its loyal employees throughout the Americas," said Lampe. "So it is most appropriate to accept this award with our employees. It is that group, our employees, who continue to give so much to this company and have made this historic award possible. Without them, we could not continue to grow our relationship with General Motors.” The Bridgestone Group supplies Bridgestone- and Firestone- brand tires to GM plants worldwide. In the United States, Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC, a subsidiary of BFAH, supplies tires to GM, to Saturn Corporation, a GM subsidiary, and to New United Motors Manufacturing, Inc., a joint venture of GM and Toyota. Bridgestone/Fireston companies in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Chile also are valued GM suppliers. The GM Supplier of the Year award began as a global program in 1992. Award-winners are selected by a global team of executives from purchasing, engineering, manufacturing and logistics who base their decisions on supplier performance in quality, service, technology and price. This year, General Motors honored 91 companies from 18 countries for their excellence throughout 2001. Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding, Inc. is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. Bridgestone/Firestone, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, and associate and private brand tires. The companies also produce Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber, and industrial fibers and textiles. Digital high-resolution photography of the award presentation ceremony is available at: http://www.firestonetire.com/press/gmaward.htm