Leadership has been a defining characteristic in Rob Seibert’s career.
From his three deployments to Iraq to being an Apache attack helicopter pilot, his eight years in various leadership positions in the U.S. Armed Forces prepared him for anything.
“Right out of college, I was put in leadership roles,” says Seibert, who finished his 8-year Army career as a captain. “I was exposed to new environments, new people and challenging missions, and I’ve carried them with me and have brought those leadership skills to various roles.”
About 10 years ago, Seibert got his start in the off-road and mining sector working as a global product manager for P&H Mining, now owned by the Komatsu Mining Corp. A few years later, an opportunity arose at Bridgestone that would allow him to stay connected to the off-the-road industry, and Seibert took it.
As director of off-the-road marketing, Seibert is in charge of product programs and promoting products digitally with a team of five leaders, who each have their own teams. He also plays a significant role in working on new technologies and Bridgestone’s off-the-road business strategy, helping to define its five-year product roadmap.
Fun Fact: To keep track of tasks, Seibert writes a short-term and long-term to-do list in the Notes app on his phone.
“My favorite part about it is that we’re providing a clear value proposition to customers in the industry,” Seibert says. “It’s our job at Bridgestone to help our customers make their jobs more efficient. When we do that, it helps improve productivity and a lower cost of ownership.”
Because of his past experiences, Seibert takes being in a leadership role seriously. He works to maintain weekly meetings with his employees and works with them on what they’d like to improve. And Bridgestone has taken notice. Seibert said he’s currently involved in an in-house leadership development program where he’ll explore various manufacturing facilities, among other things, with others from different parts of the company.
When he’s not leading Bridgestone’s OTR promotional efforts, Seibert spends time with his two young children and enjoys firing up the barbecue for his family.
Ten years from now, he sees tire data technology, including real-time tire data, at the forefront of making his customers’ jobs more efficient. But, he says, partnering with a quality tiremaker’s dealer network will be key so they can get the right services in the customer’s hands.
