Tire Group International (TGI), a worldwide wholesale distributor of tires, named Rick Wheeler to its newly created position of vice president of national sales.

In his role, Wheeler will be responsible for sales, marketing, and customer service teams for the North American market.

“We are excited to welcome Rick to the winning team. He is an experienced industry executive that understands the independent tire dealer and has earned their respect with his integrity and work ethic,” said Joaquin Gonzalez, president of Tire Group International. “Rick has 25 years of experience managing multinational brands, and this will be invaluable to TGI as we continue to expand our presence in the U.S. market.”

Wheeler has previously held various executive positions in the consumer, commercial and wholesale tire channels with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Michelin and most recently Kumho Tire.

“I am thrilled to join the TGI family at such an exciting time for the company,” said Wheeler. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to drive the company’s aggressive growth strategy.”