Former Bridgestone CEO Emkes to Retire as Tenn. Finance Commissioner

Tennessee state finance chief Mark Emkes, former CEO of Bridgestone Americas, is retiring after three years as commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration announced Monday.

Haslam selected Emkes for his cabinet following the 2010 election. According to The (Columbus, Ind.) Republic, Emkes said he has no interest in further pursuing politics. "I have absolutely no political aspirations," Emkes, 60, told the paper in a phone interview. "I think that’s one of the reasons I got along so well with people down in the (Legislative) Plaza."

As commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration, Emkes has been responsible for budget matters and managing the state’s day-to-day finances. His last day will be May 31.

Emkes, a native of Seymour, Ind., joined then-Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. in 1976, and ended up spending 21 of his 33 years with the company overseas. His wife, Conchi, is from Spain, and his two children were born in Mexico and Brazil. Emkes told The Republic he and his wife will be spending more time in Spain.

To view the complete article in The Republic, click here.

Ascot Supply Corporation, based in Newnan, Georgia, has selected Mark Paquette for the newly created position of vice president. In this position, Ascot Supply said Paquette will oversee the growth of the company's products, corporate profitability, manage marketing and advertising and assume many other responsibilities.

He will work under the direction of current President David Kessler and officially begin his new role on June 3. Paquette joined the tire and automotive industry in the early 1980s at his father's tire shop, and his contributions to Mohawk Rubber Sales were instrumental in the company's growth and eventual sale to Myers Tire Supply in 2021, according to Ascot Supply. Paquette eventually was given a promotion to the role of director of operations at Myers Tire Supply.