Distinguished University of Akron alumna Laura K. Thompson '87, '92 has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The promotion was announced Oct. 14 by the Akron-based global tire manufacturer and becomes effective Dec. 1.
Laura K. Thompson
An Akron native, Thompson earned an undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA in finance at the University’s College of Business Administration. She is active in the University community, serving on the College of Business Administration's Advancement Council. In 2011, she was honored by the college with the Dr. Frank L. Simonetti Business Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni for their outstanding business achievements and significant community contributions.
Professional and community contributions
"Laura Thompson is an accomplished University of Akron alumna, and we are extremely proud of her most recent success," says Dr. Ravi Krovi, dean of the College of Business Administration. "She is an outstanding example of someone who makes an impact in her community and a difference in the lives of students."
Thompson joined Goodyear in 1983 and has held leadership positions of increasing responsibility in corporate finance and various business units. She also has overseen several strategic initiatives for the company, including the building of Goodyear's new corporate headquarters. Most recently, she served as vice president of finance for Goodyear's North American business and is credited with playing a key role in the division's turnaround.
Thompson is a member of the Akron-Area YMCA Board of Trustees and has been named to Treasury & Risk Magazine's 2012 list of Outstanding Women in Finance. She and her husband, Mark, live in Uniontown, Ohio, with their son.
Goodyear, one of the world's largest tire companies, employs approximately 69,000 people and manufactures products in 52 facilities in 22 countries internationally.