FALL 2014

Off the wall

Benjamin makes his Grandpa Mike Horner proud16

Star StruckThe plant has a filmmaker among us13

knOw yOur team

Get to know teammates in QA06

2 Fall 2014

CONTENTS I Fall 2014

16 COVER STORY OFF THE WALL

Teammate Mike Horner’s grandson is in need of a trophy case. Why? Because eight year old Benjamin Horner has just won two gold medals and a silver, and is well on his way to earning even more!

The Right Track FALL 2014

A newsletter for and about BAAG teammates published quarterly by

Bridgestone America Tire Operations, LLC.

Des Moines Agricultural Tire Manufacturing Plant

4600 N.W. 2nd AvenueP.O. Box 1295

Des Moines, IA 50306-1295515.243.1211

www.bfusa.com

Privacy Policy To opt out of having your name in the Birthdays

or Milestones section, send an email to TheRightTrack@bfusa.com.

Have news for us? Don’t be shy, let us know! We’re always on the lookout for new story ideas. Our stories are for you and about you. Your input matters!Send an email to:TheRightTrack@bfusa.com

This issue was created by

www.farmboyinc.com

06evolution through evaluation

13Star Struck

We have a film producer among us! David Whitney, a teammate here in the Des Moines Bridgestone Tire plant, is making a fan film based on the Star Trek Universe called Star Trek: Raven. It’s a project born out of a love for the Star Trek universe.

05Summer youth

For the second year in a row, Bridgestone has had the privilege of participating in the Summer Youth Experience Program (SYEP).

The program is a collaborative community effort that provides under served youth between the ages of 14 and 21 with summer employment, volunteer opportunities, and educational experiences.

upcoming plant eventsDecember 16 Jon Stetson: Invest in Your IntuitionLunch provided for registered attendees. Register through the Events page on BAAG.com.

upcoming community eventsOctOber 16thDenver Nuggets vs. Golden State WarriorsNBA Pre-Season Game 7:00pm at Wells Fargo Arena.

OctOber 19Des Moines Marathon8:00am – 1:00pm starting at the Des Moines Walnut Street Bridge.

OctOber 16–26Night Eyes @ Blank Park ZooNight Eyes at Blank Park Zoo has become the sweetest Halloween fun in Central Iowa, and this year’s 24th annual event is sure to continue the tradition!

EyEs on thE RoadDiligent reaDer Quiz

1. What two things make going back to school not only possible, but affordable?

2. What has Mariama Corneh been studying ‘just for fun’?

3. In the Bridgestone Essence, “Shinshu-Dokuso” translates to What?

4. What will take place over the next shutdown?

5. Who won Best in Show at the “Bring Your Beauty to Work Day” for the second year in a row?

Eyes on the Road Fall 2014

dEadlInE foR submIssIons: oCt 10th , 2014Submit entries via email to:

TheRightTrack@bfusa.comor drop off entries to Continuous Improvement (CI)

Answers will be drawn at random after October 15th The first set of correctly answered questions drawn winS a gift card from the editorial staff!

Name CC#

Dept Shift

Email Phone

Our diligent reader contest winner from the Summer issue was: Jeff Jackson

Final Inspection

Please remember to include the following info with email submissions

4 Fall 2014

summaRIzIng thE fIRst sIx monthsnow that the first six months of 2014 is in the books, it’s time to take a look back to see how well we did. as with most years, we’ve had some pluses, minuses, areas of success and opportunities for improvement.

from the Plant Manager

Let’s start with Safety. The Safety Incidence Rate (SIR), which is the number of recordable injuries per 100 teammates per year, came in very good in the 1H. The 2014 budget for the year is a maximum rate of 3.35. After the first six months of 2014, we are sitting at a record low level of 2.59. Great job in this area. Let’s keep up the good work. The safety of our teammates is the number one priority in the plant. It is the first thing discussed in the morning meeting and during weekly reviews with Nashville. Safety first is not just a motto, it’s a way of life in Des Moines.

Regarding Quality, we have been improving each month in 2014. In fact, June was the first month in over a year that we met the budgeted loss ratio goal (that’s the dollar amount of material thrown away divided by the dollar amount of tires warehoused). As a result, June was also the first month that we paid out the quality portion of the Performance Efficiency Plan (PEP).

There have been numerous activities in all departments throughout the year designed to increase the quality of our tires and reduce waste. As with safety, we can never take our eye off the ball. Our customers depend on us to produce the best AG tire in the world and we can never disappoint them.

On Delivery, after a rough January and February, we achieved the production ticket four of the first six months in 2014. However, since we over-achieved the ticket in March we more than made up for the February lost production, so we achieved the production portion of the PEP (Performance Efficiency Plan) in five of the first six months. To do this required a great amount of teamwork throughout the plant.

Every department had to do their job for us to be able to put a world class Firestone tire into the warehouse. If one department failed then we all would have failed. That’s where teamwork and coordination come in. Great job again.

Costs have been a struggle in the first half of 2014. There are two big reasons for this. First, the lower than expected ticket means we cannot offset all the fixed costs that come with operating a plant. Expenses such as taxes and depreciation do not change, whether we make one tire or 3,000 tires. That means the tires we do produce cost more because they must absorb more of the fixed costs. The second factor was the high worker’s compensation cost experienced in the first half of 2014.

Costs will be king in the second half, and as a plant we must do everything that we can to make our tires in the most productive and least costly manner possible.

Overall I think that we had a pretty good first half. The second half will undoubtedly bring with it new and unexpected challenges. For example, we have all seen the announcement of layoffs and production days at some of our customers’ assembly plants. That will, of course, have an impact on our plant going forward. To address the concerns, we are currently working with the Supply Chain Management group to determine what to do in preparation for slower sales.

We will work to ensure that any negative impact on plant teammates is minimized, and will collaborate with the USW leadership as we make our final decisions. More importantly, we understand the negative impact this has on teammate morale. We always strive to do right by our teammates and this will be no different.

In the meantime, we must concentrate on what we can control. We will continue to look for ways to be safer, increase tire quality and become more productive. It will take all of us working together to be successful to keep Des Moines the premiere AG tire plant in the world.

Thank you everyone for all of your hard work, dedication and support. Let’s have a great rest of the year.

Greg Halford

“It will take all of us working together to be successful to keep des moines the premiere ag tire plant in the world.”

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Summer Youth Experience Program

For the second year in a row, Bridgestone has had the privilege of participating in the Summer Youth Experience Program (SYEP). The program is a collaborative community effort that provides underserved youth between the ages of 14 and 21 with summer employment, volunteer opportunities, and educational experiences.

The goal of SYEP is to help youth capitalize on their individual strengths, develop their skills and competencies, and connect them with positive adult role models. The program is made possible by the support and partnership of the Evelyn K. Davis for Working Families Center, A. Simmons Consulting, Spectrum Resources, African American and Latino community leaders, and the United Way of Central Iowa.

The 2014 participants at the plant included Mayra Fernandez, Mariama Corneh, and Draven Howard. Mayra came away with an increased understanding of what it takes to apply for a job, because the program helped show her how to build a resume and prepare for an interview. She’s planning on being a nurse, and appreciates the computer skills she learned during her time here.

Mariama particularly loved learning about Bridgestone processes. “Working here has exposed me to various aspects of the tire engineering process, which is good seeing how I plan to become an engineer someday.” She is currently entering her sophomore year at University of Iowa, where she is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Mathematics. The field of quantum mechanics really sparks her interest, and she’s started to teach herself about the principles “just for fun.”

Draven Howard was particularly excited about her time in the Analytical Lab. As a pre-med junior at Alcorn State University, she’s aiming toward a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry.

Working in the analytical lab was “right up her alley,” because she’s had the opportunity to see what it’s like to work in a research lab. “There is not a day where I don’t learn something new, whether it’s about the formulas or procedures, or about the company as a whole.” Draven is enthusiastic about her time here, and has enjoyed working with her fellow teammates.

All three participants truly enjoyed their time at Bridgestone “I absolutely love working here. The people are great, funny and welcoming. They keep it very interesting,” says Draven. Mariama agrees. “The people I have met here are without a doubt some of the most lively, friendly, and hard-working people that I’ve ever met.”

SYEP isn’t just about work experience. Participating youth have the opportunity to take “bootcamp” sessions that cover a wide range of topics like morals and ethics, entrepreneurship, creating a budget, preparing a resume, and nailing a job interview. Bridgestone is excited for the opportunity to continue its support of this very worthy program.

“ T h e r e i s n o t a d a y w h e r e I d o n ’ t l e a r n s o m e t h i n g n e w , w h e t h e r i t ’ s a b o u t t h e f o r m u l a s o r p r o c e d u r e s , o r a b o u t t h e c o m p a n y a s a w h o l e . ”

The goal of SYEP is to help youth

capitalize on their individual

strengths, develop their

skills and competencies, and connect them with

positive adult role models.

“I was a tire builder, and I can assure you that I had more of an appreciation and understanding of what it takes to ‘work on the floor.’”

According to QA Manager RanDy anDReW, they “get to be the voice of the customer.” The teammates in the QA department accomplish this by ensuring standards are in place, and that they are followed. The department has recently received gold level certification from Caterpillar, an accomplishment they’re all proud of. Their certification was a result of teammates working together.

At the moment, the department has a wealth of experienced teammates. For MaRQuiSe CaMpbell, working at Bridgestone is a family affair. His father returned from Bridgestone after 37 years with the company, and his brother has been working for Bridgestone for two years. As for Marquise, he’s already got 21 years under his belt. Marquise got his start at the Bloomington, Illinois plant.

After transferring to the Des Moines plant, he held several positions until he ended up in his current post as a QA specialist. At the moment, he’s working on a project to reduce the adjustment tires returned by customers. His teammates rely on him for his approachability, sincerity, honesty, and ambition.

John bRiley is a chemical engineer, and began work in March 1995 when he understudied in the Analytical Lab with Darrel Adams, who at the time was nearing retirement age. He’s currently working with QA on some new “OK for Use Tags.” He enjoys working as part of the QA team because things get done “quicker and better when we work together.”

Robin haege has been in the lab for 24 years. His favorite part about working in his department is helping to develop and maintain quality. He calls it “evolution through evaluation.” His department helps make a better product by processing various tests and analyses. Robin’s most prominent memory of his time at Bridgestone is when he worked on the floor. “I was a tire builder, and I can assure you that I had more of an appreciation and understanding of what it takes to ‘work on the floor.’”

Robin is an avid outdoorsman; he enjoys hunting, fishing and trapping. He also partakes in a little antiquing now and then. He’s most proud of the three sons he has who have followed in his footsteps and served in the Marine Corps.

RoBin HAeGe

RAndy AndRew

dAmion wAllAce AndRew

THompsonmARquise cAmpBell

sTAcie GAye

evoluTion through evAluATionTHe quAliTy AssuRAnce depARTmenT has a unique role in making sure every Bridgestone tire is top quality. The QA department is a team serving the entire Ag Division through a wide variety of roles. There are the Quality Specialists, who each serve different areas of the plant. Then there’s the analytical lab, which confirms the quality of incoming raw materials, and the MRC lab, which tests in-process materials and components. Finally, the PE lab verifies the quality of the finished tires.

MiSty ChRiStopheR is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree while she works as a laboratory technician here at Bridgestone. She prides herself on her laid back attitude. Which helps, she says, because she works with her husband, “on the same shift, in the same department, side by side, for ALL 12 hours of each day.” She jokes, but then acknowledges that they work together well, since they’re both team players. The project that has her attention at the moment is a team effort with Deb Burt and Phil DeLoriea. They’re working to improve specific gravity testing efficiency through a new piece of equipment. “When we work as a team, the work flow and our day-to-day operations run much smoother. It keeps the lines of communication going and the day goes by much faster.”

The department has new teammates, as well, and according to Randy, they are learning the “ins and outs of life as quality specialist.” They’re going through the processes of learning how to interact with vendors, teammates, and The Boss.

anDi nayloR is one of those relatively new teammates. Andi has been a teammate since February 2014. Andi brings a sunny disposition to her department. “We all have something, big or small, to learn from each other. Working together is a good way to share that knowledge,” she says. She’s currently working on a project involving the organization of record retention efforts. When Bridgestone offers volunteer opportunities, Andi makes sure she’s a part of it. In her free time, she is working toward her degree in Early Childhood Education.

She likes to spend time with her friends, family, boyfriend, and her dog which she affectionately describes as “weird.” She enjoys relaxing on her patio with a good book, or seeing live music. She’s developing a mean game of croquet, as well.

For Randy, Bridgestone is a family tradition. Randy has had relatives working at the plant since the 1940’s. His two great uncles, his grandfather, his father, and three uncles have all worked for and retired from Bridgestone. In his free time, he likes to spend as much time as possible with his seven grandchildren.

As he leads his department, he tries to remember to never burn bridges. “We work and interact with all kinds of people and personalities. If you treat them with respect and gain their trust now, it will be a lot easier to get their assistance and support in the future.”

“We all have something, big or small, to learn from each other. Working together is a good way to share that knowledge.”

Andi nAyloR

nATHAn HofsTAdTeR cHuck

TAyloR

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8 Fall 2014

Plant NewsOn June 2nd through June 6th, Royal Family KIDS Camp was held to great success. The program is aimed at reaching out to foster kids who have experienced abuse or neglect with the goal of helping them make positive connections through camp programs and mentoring relationships. this year’s event was made possible because of people like you. The $5 buy-in for each BAAG bracket generated $2,200, all of which was donated to the Royal Family KIDS camp. Those donations, coupled with funds from several other generous partners, made some amazing things happen this year for 47 kids (15 more children than last year!).

According to Scott Richardson, who is a volunteer for Royal Family KIDS camp, the camp session started on Monday with a bang; with three or four minor injuries right out of the gate, things got a little hairy. But in no time, the kids were having a blast. Throughout the week, they had plenty of activities to choose from, such as fishing, swimming, or getting creative with arts and crafts at the Creation Station.

There were some new activities this year, too. A Lego station, RC monster trucks, and a giant slip and slide made fantastic new additions to the camp. Even better, there were several donated bicycles for the children to ride - many had never ridden a bike before.

September will mark the beginning of the second year of the Club Mentoring program. In its inaugural year, the organization mentored eight children. This year, 22 mentors are signed up to work with kids, which is great news! Unfortunately, there are more kids who’d like to participate in the program than mentors. If you’re interested in signing up for the program, contact Scott Richardson. Your involvement can make a real difference in the lives of these foster children.

SCott RiChaRDSon Maintenance

Jon stEtson EvEnt I n v E s t I n y o u R I n t u I t I o nHe knows what you're thinking, he really does!In a shift of focus from entertainment to empowerment, Jon Stetson created “Invest in Your Intuition.” The latest BAAGU “What’s in your baag” event is a hands-on, interactive session that awakens participants to the possibility of reaching their full potential, experiencing greater personal power, and achieving success more easily.

You’ll be more than simply amazed and entertained. You’ll have the chance to test your intuition, and you’ll learn how to tap into your subconscious mind to enhance creativity and decision-making.

december 16all Plant meeting Room

lunch provided for registered attendees. to register, RsvP through the Events page on BAAG.com or in LmS.

• President Bush, President Carter, The King of Sweden, Donald Trump, Bob Kraft & The New England Patriots, Fortune 1000 organizations, associations and celebrity audiences have experienced Jon Stetson worldwide.

• Over 25 years with audiences for over 10,000 performances.

• Internationally acclaimed intuitionist.

• He observes people’s patterns and steps inside their heads. He knows what you're thinking, he really does.

• The power and the connection between Mind, Mirth and Mystery.

• Performances in over 25 countries, touching all corners of the globe.

• An experience such that you will become the true star of the event.

• Unique sleight-of-mind entertainment and mind-to-mind contact.

Who Is Jon stEtson? What Is thE stEtson ExPERIEnCE?

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SuMMER sHuTdown REPORTThe Maintenance Department would like to wish everyone a happy, if belated, Fourth of July! While most of the Des Moines teammates were enjoying family BBQs, Firestone day at Adventureland, fireworks displays around town, and vacations, your faithful technicians were busily at work improving the plant, one machine at a time.

The planning stages for shutdown activities began way back in February. Each team had their own priorities and goals. The preventive maintenance crews first sought out repair and refurbishment opportunities in every department, and then developed executable plans to carry out the necessary jobs. The engineering department committed extensive man-hours towards design and development.

They planned out several upgrades and modifications aimed at providing our production personnel with more user-friendly processes. The facilities engineering department meticulously planned building improvements, refurbishments, and upgrades that enhance the look and physical integrity of the facility, which increases safety and morale.

After all that planning, we submitted funding requests for improvement projects, ordered materials, and coordinated efforts between engineering and maintenance. We wanted to be sure to get the most improvement and repairs squeezed into 10 days as possible.

All of these planning efforts culminated in a fast and furious 10 days of wrenching, greasing, fabricating, demolishing, upgrading, improving, repairing, replacing, and responding to customer requests. Overall, we completed over 300 jobs, and worked a total of 7800+ man-hours of labor.

To put this in perspective, 7800 hours is the amount of time a single person typically works in three years, 11 months, and one week. That’s also the time it takes to build a 2000 square foot home, completely finished. It takes that many hours to build 244 brand new cars.

Some of the improvements and repairs were immediately noticeable. Others were probably not as easily noticeable, despite being vitally important to the safe and prolonged operation of the plant. These are just a few of the tasks that were completed:

Cleaning and painting the ceiling at the south end of final finish

upgrading the controls on u01 taM

upgrading the controls on #1 stock cutting machine (banner)

Replacing the pelletizer on 622bb

installing a new tCu on 622bb pelletizer

Replacing the festoon chain and bars on 72 festoon

Replacing the mixer motor on 74bb

installing new bearings and couplings on 92 mill (1 Calender) and 106 mill (6 tuber)

...and many, many more equally vital jobs

The members of the maintenance and engineering departments hope that you like the work we have done, and would love to hear feedback from you about what we could do better the next time around.

Remember: “It’s more than just an AG tire … It’s a Firestone!”

“7800 hours is the amount of time a single person typically works in three years, 11 months, and one week. that’s also the time it takes to build a 2000 square foot home, completely finished. It takes that many hours to build 244 brand new cars.”

10 Fall 2014

As a manufacturing plant, we have processes in place for measuring and improving everything we do. Teammate engagement is tricky and elusive; it’s all about how people feel, act, and perceive. You can’t use the same approach as we do for manufacturing processes. Or can you?

That’s exactly what two cross-functional teams came together to accomplish a year ago. At that time, we began our first cycle of this brand new process centered around teammate engagement in the Des Moines plant. Teammates had the opportunity to take a survey with questions focused on engagement and communication. Following that survey, teams assembled in each department to analyze the data for their specific functional area, identify areas for improvement, and create action items to improve teammate engagement. They used some of the same tools from the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) toolbox that we use for all other process improvements.

The Firestone Agricultural Tire Division carried out this process and included teammates from Sales and Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Export, and Field Engineering. This multi-function group has a challenging communication dynamic because members report to two different locations (Des Moines and Nashville). The group’s initial survey and meeting results yielded feedback that was helpful. They heard comments such as, “We’re not all moving in the same direction,” and “We’re not able to perform our jobs as effectively with missing information.” Teammates reported that they felt excluded or disconnected from the rest of their team too often.

After identifying the problem - that each teammate is not consistently receiving the information they need - they came up with a plan to address it. After much discussion, the team unanimously voted to hold monthly meetings with opportunities for questions to be asked and answered. Each meeting will include regional sales and field engineering teammates via WebEx, and a wide variety of topics like market conditions and outlook, sales updates, production levels, and the “Top 5 Things to Know.” The first meeting will be held in the third quarter of 2014, after the details are finalized.

“Like many people, I’ve been skeptical of the teammate surveys because I haven’t seen much change as a result. This was an opportunity to be part of creating change.”

Feedback about the process has been promising. One participant appreciated the chance to be a part of improving her team, saying “Like many people, I’ve been skeptical of the teammate surveys because I haven’t seen much change as a result. This was an opportunity to be part of creating change.” Another teammate was surprised at the applicability of the process. “Having a background in sales and marketing, I found it hard to understand how Six Sigma could be applied to our area, but having been through the white belt process, it really does work.”

Change and growth are an ever-evolving process, but so far we’ve seen some great examples of improvement. Des Moines will have another chance to grow and improve during shutdown. White belt teams will be assembled from the departments listed below.

Every department member will have the ability to submit questions, information requests, and concerns through their department leader. But as a representative, you’ll get the chance to voice the concerns of your department and shape the outcome of the white belt process. Bridgestone is committed to continuing to improve our processes, and wants your input.

To get involved, contact the listed leader for your department.

DIvIsIon .......................................................................... Tony Solon

IT*......................................................................................... Jack Rosa

MIxIng/ReceIvIng ....................................................Tim McKnight

cALenDeRs/exTRusIon .........................................Latasha Brown

Tech seRvIce/WAsTe ...................................................Steve Pierre

QA/LAbs .......................................................................Randy Andrew

engIneeRIng ............................................................Dave Gustafson

PDIc/Ie ....................................................................... Gus Hernandez

cuRIng/FInAL ...............................................................Jared Lofland

sTock cuTTIng/beADs ....................................................Toby Hall

TIRe RooM ...................................................................Chad Dowling

MAInTenAnce/cRIb ................................................Dave Gustafson

WARehouse/LogIsTIcs.............................................. John Wahlert

hR/cI/sAFeTy/ FInAnce/PuRchAsIng* ................ Jim Funcheon, Scott Burgmeyer,

Dick Roth, Clayton Scheve, & Eric Eggland

*Because of the small size of these areas, the data collected from them will be combined and a single White Belt team will be formed.

alissa Russelburg CONTINUOUS IMPROvEMENT

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goIng foR ExCEllEnCEbaag has submitted our 3rd consecutive baldrige application at the state level. the state process is called iowa Recognition for performance excellence (iRpe baldrige).

Our application is currently in the hands of the team of 3rd party examiners (see process diagram to the right). Our next step in the Baldrige process is to prepare for the site visit, which will likely take place in the first two weeks of November.

The exciting part of this process is seeing the Baldrige criteria unfold in the progress of the plant. For example:

pptW & teammate engagement We completed our survey and the first round of Six Sigma White Belt (SSWB) sessions last year, and rolling into the PPTW survey we all had the opportunity to participate in. The next SSWB sessions will be held in September, October and November, to keep this process going.

Customer Data Looking at processes we currently use as well as making them better to capture data to understand the customer even better.

As we continue moving forward on our Baldrige journey, you can follow our progress at BAAG.com, and look for updates in the e-newsletter.

Scott J. burgmeyer CONTINUOUS IMPROvEMENT

f o o t b a l l Pick-Em's

organization Writes application• 55 Pages (5 page Org Profile, 50 Pages

on the criteria)• Submit in August

examiner team assigned• Team of 3rd Party Trained

Examiners assigned• Examiners Complete independent

review (~100 hours of work)

examiner team• Consensus reach for strengths and areas

of improvement (60 hours of effort)• Initial Score (1000 max)• If >300 Site visit

Site Visit (we are here currently)• Examiners on site 2.5 days

(40 hours of effort)• Final Scoring & Feedback• Recognition Level Recommendation

Judges Review• State experts in Baldrige review all site

visit applicants and score• Judges review recommendations

and vote

Feedback report to organization• Overall Score Band• Recognition Level• Formal Feedback Report

executive Committee• Team of business experts and judges

vote on recognition level

Key Points• All Examiners are 3rd Party and vetted to

ensure no conflict of interest with applicant• Examiners each spend ~200 hours with the

application to provide feedback.• 3 levels of review and recommendation for

award occurs.

award levels for full application (ou t o f 1000 po in t s )

• Commitment Recognition (<350 pts)• Bronze Level (350-449 points)• Silver Level (450-559 points)• Gold Level (550 or more points)

statistics since IRPE started in 2000• 92 Applications from 45

different organizations• Awards Received by 22

different organizations:• Bronze: 23• Silver: 24• Gold: 4

Don't miss out on your chance to WIn with BaAG.com during the 2014/2015 nFL season! Play the bAAg.com nFL Pick-em's contest and get entered to win gift cards and other prizes. hurry and register to play at bAAg.com, because play is already underway!There's no cost to enter, but you could win great prizes! The player with the most points for the week will get to pick a prize from our bAAgu treasure chest AnD be eligible to play the super bowl Pick 'em contest. The grand prize for the super bowl contest is to be determined...BUT IT WILL BE BIG!

How It Works » On Thursdays, we will post a link to a survey listing out the line-ups for the upcoming week

of NFL football match-ups on BAAG.com.

» Using the survey, pick the winners of each match-up by noon on Wednesday beFoRe play begins.

» After you make your picks, click submit.

WhAT ARe you WAITIng FoR?? PLAy ToDAy! Stay on top of all the action (and the smack talk) in the NFL Weekly Discussions group, which can be found at BAAG.com!

site visit planned for november 1-3, 2014

during the month of June, the des moines plant, along with over 43,000 other bridgestone americas (bsa) teammates, had the opportunity to participate in the first annual Premier Place to Work (PPtW) survey.

While surveys are not new, this year marks the beginning of our partnership with the Great Place to Work® Institute, which is the organization that compiles Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For” list. In other words, the survey we took is going to give us a glimpse at how we measure up to the best organizations in the world. Once we know where we stand, we’ll be able to make meaningful improvement to get even better.

Unlike other locations within BSA, Des Moines is unique in that we have already launched a process to help us improve; this year is actually our 2nd cycle of improvement.

Beginning in October, each department in the plant will have the opportunity to form a group of teammates, with both clock-card and salaried employees, who will then review and analyze the 2014 survey results in comparison to the 2013 survey results. They will then identify the core actions that we will work on in 2015. We call the meeting that generates those action items Six Sigma White Belt (SSWB).

For more information on SSWB, check out the article on page 10.

Jillian havran CONTINUOUS IMPROvEMENT

youR voICE mattERs

12 Fall 2014

It’s that time of year again for new notebooks and pens. Everyone’s heading back to school, and you could go for fRee.

Did you know that Bridgestone partners with Ashford University to offer the Leader Development Grant? Pairing the grant with Bridgestone’s Tuition Reimbursement program, makes going back to school not only possible, but no out of pocket cost to you. It’s a great way to further your education without accruing student loan debt.

Ashford University offers a wide array of online classes in Business; Health, Human services, and science; education; and liberal Arts. Take your education to the next step affordably, and on your own time, by taking advantage of these two programs made possible through Bridgestone’s partnership with Ashford University!

s t a R s t R u C KWe have a film producer among us! david Whitney, a teammate here in the des moines bridgestone tire plant, is making a fan film based on the star trek universe called star trek: Raven. It’s a project born out of a love for star trek. over 20 people are involved in the project, and nearly all of them are lending their talents to the production because of their passion for all things star trek.

The movie is an unofficial parody of the CBS-owned Star Trek and is not affiliated with CBS or Paramount Pictures. The fan film will be distributed for free on YouTube for anyone to watch. Their only goal for the film is to have fun making it.

“in order to make a fan film like this one, many components need to be rounded up. First, you have to have a story or an idea. then you have to find others who are willing to sacrifice their time to the project.” So far, they have 16 actors and actresses, a two-person crew for video production, a makeup artist, and a seamstress turned costume designer. “We’ve been very fortunate to have almost all of the support gathered from within Iowa.”

The actors and actresses have a wide range of experience, or in some cases, a lack thereof. They even have one actress who is a former cage fighter. Their youngest cast member is eleven years old; she will be playing an alien on a new planet.

Despite a lack of movie production experience in his background, Whitney has pulled together all of the pieces necessary for a project like this. They have props, sets, and everything needed to produce a sci-fi television program, including a 20 foot green screen. The most expensive part of making this film will be the CGI (Computer Graphics Imagery, sometimes called Special Effects) animation. Making starships on a computer takes a lot of talent and time, and some of the CGI techs are as far away as Germany.

Because the crew and cast are volunteers, they’ve managed to bring production costs down from $30,000 to less than $10,000. One way they accomplish this is by using physical models of ships when possible, rather than using CGI for everything. It’s truly a fan-film made by devoted fans. “Almost everyone now involved in this production is a Star Trek fan who just wants to be a part of the movie. We’re now turning away people who want to be in the film. That’s a good problem to have.”

Whitney wants to show Star Trek fans what they can do with less money and resources than a major Hollywood production. “There are several other Star Trek fan films being produced with Hollywood talent at great expense, and we hope to show that we can do it for less. And in some respects, do it better.”

“almost everyone now involved in this production is a star trek fan who just wants to be a part of the movie. We’re now turning away people who want to be in the film. that’s a good problem to have.”

Feel free to keep track of filming progress at startrekraven.com.

14 Fall 2014

october Abdulghani AbdulrahimMichael AndersonRandy AndrewStacy AppelgateBruce BakerDonald BalesKenneth BartlettWesley BeeghlyDennis BolichScott BrannonTimothy BreonJeff BrodersDouglas BronnerPatricia BrownThomas BrumbackCher Brunk-SchuchhardtNathaniel BuckBrett CampbellLorensa CamposKevin CarlsonFrank Carra SRScott CarterBoun ChanchomTina ChapmanDonald CheekBobbi ChilesRobert ClausenFreddie ClaytorSalomon ColungaJames ConleyMichaela CookAdam J CornishShane CotterMachelle CuttingKraig DaughertyDeanh DenChad DowlingGeorgia DraegerOlajuwon EdmondsErnest EdwardsJohn FinleyScott ForchtCharles FountainAnastasia GayeHugh GiesekeChris GistDouglas GoeringJohn GormanRichard GrantSteve GreenhornJeannie GregorySteven GregoryLorrie HanifenTimothy HansonKeith HansonDuane HaugenFloyd HesseltineSteve HillRobert HitesWillie Hoof JRSusan Howell-SpurgeonJohn HughesKeith HunterDenzel IrvinKenneth JacksonJabbar JeffersonShawn JenkinsJohn JennettJer'ronne JohnsonTyna Johnson-

VandenbroekeAbigail JonesKyvong KanyavimonhR. KaplarScott LaffertyKeith LawrenceDanette LebonMichael LefflerMark LehmanMelissa LewisDonavan LindamanGerald LindbergTimothy LinnTerry LogueMarc LovanSeng LovanYoua LovanBrandon LoveHien LuongTerri LyonRonald MartinRick MatejkaVance MattisonWade McClellanTimothy McKnightJonathan McMainsLeon McNeal IIRobert MelgozaJames MichelsDavid MillerAlfredo MunizBenjamin MurryLouis NgorTimothy OhrtJames OrrRaynell ParrishNiall PatersonFrank PaulusFrank Pazzi JRArmand Perrier IIITerry PetersenKent PhongsaRobert Piehl JRRandy PiperZachary PlewJohn ReichartMarco ReyesScott RichardsonGary RileyStephen RiosDaniel RobinsonMarcel RobinsonBrianna RobinsonJoseph RobuckThomas RodgersDavid RoffMelvin SaahJonathan SamsonClayton ScheveChristopher ShafferStephen SheltonMaurice ShortAnthony ShortCasey ShortDean SigwaltTeresa SjulinMatthew SlocumMark SprouseWilliam SteffensJohn StevensonWilliam StoutLance StreetToulaxay SymuongsongKhamkeo Sysombath

Keith TaylorMontrell ThompsonRobert ThompsonStephen ThompsonNga TranHoi TranJoseph TraylorCuong TruongOlay TulapahShane TwogoodJeff TylerHang VongDarrell VonrentzellDusty WallaceMurphy WhitsittJason WickerWarren Young

november Michelle AlexanderAlex AllenKeith AndersonNathan ArnoldCade BaethkeJoseph BaumanKeenan BellMarcus BellStefan BemeWayne BirkenholzJoe BosleyJeff BradleyTed ButcherKeith CarpenterRichard CarrascoBernard CarrollSteven ClantonJames ClarkKyle ClarkDuane CoffmanKelly ColemanSherwin CookJamjay CooperBruce CorbinTammy CovilleKerry CoxManolo Toledo CruzBradley DalesYoup DenGregory DennisDarey DouchShannon DucheneMonty FeeBruce FleenorThomas FlemingRocky FranklinWilliam FranklinJessica FregozoGerri GabbardRonald GlennWilliam GlunzNancy GomezRobert GoodsWalter GreenAmy GregoryRobin HaegeToby HallMarten HamDonna HarterAlex HayesRyan HellesoDaniel Henderson

Nathan HofstadterPatricia HoldmeyerJefferson HoweRyan HowellAndrew HutchinsonDon ImhoffMiranda JohnsonCorey JohnsonDeborah JonesDennis KaisandAnthony KaplarChristina KnappDavid KolpinShane KonradJames LaffertyAnthony LasalaMatthew LeberGreg LeuschnerSaichellappa MandiramoorthyByron MartinezMichael McCallisterEugene MerrittBruce MichaelJonathon MilledgeMichael MonahanKhouane MorkRoger NavinDouglas NixonJason OlsonTroy OuversonAaron OviattRoosevelt PerryBrad PirilloMary PrescottWendell Ragan JRJames ReasonerDevin ReidSteven RepplingerJames RobertsMark RoneyBrett RusselburgAmir SerdarevicChristine SheltonCory ShinnMalcolm ShortMarcus SpearsJudd StebenEd SteilThaer TahaJerry TantBradley VanbrogenDoug VandykeTimothy VollDustin WainscottWilliam WillenborgHabakkuk WilliamsJohn Williams JRFredrick Williams JRBradley WilliamsDonald WithersTed WorthingtonChris WulfCalvin Yakle

december Peter AlvarezRicardo Blanque AnadonYatta BartuahDamon BaumannChristopher BeahrWilliam BellLinda BerndtTerry BickfordLarry BlackRobbie BoggessDerek BollesAustin BriggsBrandt BronnenbergEric BucknerChau BuiShalavah BunduCoryon ByerlyKerry CarlbergTeresa CarterLaurie ChapmanChristopher ChapmanTrenton CosnerTimothy Cox JRRobert CraigRosie CrawfordLisa DalesBryan DaviesBrandon DaviesDavid DebruynDustin DellachiesaDaniel EichhornDana ElifritzJairus EstayoSteven FelderDaniel FinneganWilliam FrantzDennis FritzAndrew GabelJason GablerThomas GassTimothy Glick SRSamuel HallJames HamiltonCara HarrisTodd HendricksEric HollinsMichael HornerRoxanne IngramSabrina JensenJeremiah JohnsonJason JordanKenneth KlingamanJesse KnightRobert Koehler JRPhanh LaramekScott LongRichard LovejoyFranklin LuogonPatrick LutzLawrence MallyNicholas MaplesTroy MartinWilliam Martz IIQuentin MatthewsMarshall MayfieldKen McDougalVenita MillerJames MillerRobert MooreDavid Morawski

Becky MorganRyan MummDonald MurrayZachary MurrayLee Myers JRCharles NavinYassir NooryShawn PepelTerry PetefishVilayvanh PhetpriyavanhDon RhoadesDavid RichardsonRamon RiveraLee RogersHarry RostoksJeff RynearsonAdam SampsonJohn SimsSteven SkellengerDouglas SmithScott SmithJoshua SnellVot SonJoe SpiewakLarry Spray IIJoel StangerKendrick ThedfordPatrick TrotterRaschawn TurnerMichael WaddenDiana WalleThomas WardJames WebbJackie WellsRichard WickerNathan WrightJohn YoriDarlington Ziaty

H A P P Y B I R T H D AY T E A M M AT E S

35 years

30 years

25 years

20 years

15 years

10 years

Tia Leovan 139 9/1/04

Brian Higgins 175 9/1/04

Ryan Aspengren 178 9/1/04

Khampha Onmanivong 179 9/1/04

Kent Phongsa 422 9/1/04

Jared Lofland 954 9/13/04

Paul Payne 135 9/22/04

Brian Myers 123 11/17/04

William Stout 179 11/17/04

Duane Claussen 123 12/8/04

Richard Fotes 370 10/29/79

Colleen Neff 390 10/29/79

Glen Enlow 831 9/5/84

Michael Hanson 123 9/17/89

Jeff Allsup 831 10/30/89

Patrick Lutz 831 10/30/89

Randy Runyan 831 10/30/89

Rodney Roff 831 11/6/89

Richard Tomlin 793 11/13/89

John Wahlert 793 11/13/89

Timothy Cooper 831 11/13/89

Deepak Kothari 831 11/13/89

Howard McDaniel 831 11/27/89

Kenny Thornburg 831 11/27/89

Walter Hitt 146 11/21/94

Theodore Hubert JR 179 11/21/94

Patrick Trotter 175 11/28/94

James Sickels 401 11/28/94

Teresa Belieu 139 12/5/94

Erik Erikson 146 12/5/94

Michael Mc Kay 179 12/5/94

Sean Meusburger 179 12/5/94

Ray Mincy 179 12/5/94

Kevin Plew 175 12/12/94

Pauline Lund 900 12/12/94

Brandon Andrews 169 12/16/94

John Tessner 179 12/16/94

Timothy Nady 831 12/16/94

Aaron Mc Dermott 169 12//94

Jackie Wells 169 12//94

Joseph Foster 175 12//94

Kenneth Evans 179 12//94

Charles Holder JR 179 12//94

Kurt Sloan 412 12//94

Toby Hall 954 12//94

Dennis Quick 175 12/21/94

Christina Sullivan 239 12/21/94

Thomas Kustes 169 12/23/94

Robert Simmons 412 12/23/94

Keith Hunter 422 12/23/94

Renate Varvel 714 12/23/94

Ruben Ordaz 169 9/12/00

Aaron Olson 512 9/12/00

Chris Hall 793 9/12/00

Douglas Epley 831 12/3/00

Robert Braunschweig 179 9/26/94

Casey Leonard 179 10/10/94

Marshall Mayfield 135 10/12/94

Johnni Bayne 123 10/17/94

Deborah Haley 148 10/17/94

Stacy Appelgate 953 10/17/94

William Martz II 422 10/18/94

Linda Clearwater 123 10/24/94

Gary Busch 135 10/24/94

Rhett Wickett 135 10/24/94

Leon McNeal II 175 10/24/94

Damion Wallace 762 10/24/94

Rodney Rouw 831 10/24/94

Kenneth Lynch 239 10/25/94

Cynthia Romeo 124 10/31/94

Robert Weir 169 10/31/94

Steven Fowler 175 10/31/94

Nou Cam 422 10/31/94

Douglas Randles 831 10/31/94

Timothy McKnight 954 10/31/94

Gregory Bond 135 11/1/94

Rosie Crawford 239 11/7/94

Joan Baker 123 11/14/94

Trever Carter 135 11/14/94

Dean Sigwalt 135 11/14/94

Chris Wulf 175 11/14/94

Harold Brannon 178 11/14/94

Bruce Baker 831 11/14/94

Troy Martin 953 11/14/94

from5 yEaRs

to35 yEaRs,thank you

for allthat

you do

M I L E S T O N E S

16 Fall 2014

The difference between Benjamin’s off and on the court presence is pretty startling. While in front of the camera, he’s shy and a bit reserved, using as few words as possible. But when he hits that ball across the court, his face lights up. “I like being able to do things that I never thought I could do.”

And it’s no wonder he’s able to do so well; his dad, also a racquetball player, has been encouraging him to play ever since he could walk. He’s been playing racquetball for over half his life.

Benjamin’s had the good fortune to be surrounded by very supportive people. In the past year, Benjamin has had the opportunity to train with wonderful coaches who have helped him get to where he is today.

He participated in a 10-month clinic with Jim Winterton, a world renowned racquetball coach and mentor to some of the big players that Benjamin admires.

Those supporters include the Bridgestone community, as well. His family wants Bridgestone teammates to know that it wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of generous donors, whose funds went towards new equipment for Benjamin.

Mike and Deb are two very proud grandparents, and are very grateful for the support from the bridgestone community. “to everyone who gave to the little red-haired boy in the parking lot, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

OFF THE WALLTeammate mike Horner’s grandson is in need of a trophy case. Why? Because eight year old Benjamin Horner has just won two gold medals and a silver, and is well on his way to earning even more.

In June, benjamin and six other youth racquetball players traveled from des moines to denver, Colorado, to participate in the 41st annual Wilson Junior olympic Racquetball Championships. benjamin came away with three medals: two gold medals in two separate divisions for players eight and under, and a silver in a 10 and under division.

“I like being able to do things that I never thought I could do.”

17Stay up to date and share your own content on BAAG.com

2014 bRIng youR bEauty to WoRK dayJune 21st was a bright summer day, perfect for the 3rd annual “bring your beauty to Work day.” from 10 am to 1:30 Pm, the plant was treated to the sight of 23 cars and five motorcycles which were all shined up and looking good for the occasion.

The turnout was overwhelming; the grill didn’t stop firing hot dogs from the moment it started. Last year, we donated the proceeds to the Oak Park Elementary School. We continued the tradition this year, and were able to present them with a check for $526.30. That’s almost three times the amount we donated last year!

The variety of vehicles was amazing; there were antique cars, race cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

All of them were beautiful and could be considered winners, but in the end the People’s Choice Awards went to last year’s first place winner, Richard Lovejoy, who won first and second place this year. Lovejoy brought four Grand Prix to the show; he won by a landslide.

Lisa Musgrove took first place in the motorcycle division, and Sherry Persinger took second. It was a great turnout and a great time, and we closed out the day knowing that next year will be even bigger and better. Thanks to all who brought their beauties to work, and to those who came out to view them!

Dick Roth, Safety Manager

“We continued the tradition this year, and were able to present them with a check for $526.30. that’s almost three times the amount we donated last year!”

Dick Roth

sHeRRy peRsinGeR

dick RoTH

JAmes BlAke

lisA musGRove

18 Fall 2014

Here’s a view on how the Ag Equipment Sales are trending in North America thru the end of July for 2014. This is information reported by the major OEM’s like Deere, CNH, AGCO, and Kubota. It covers the major categories on self propelled equipment; tractor and combines. The chart below show report numbers compared to last year through the end of July. The higher horse tractors and combines have softened from a year ago. Based on feedback from our OEM partners this downward trend will continue.

What does this mean for BAAG? We continue to work with the OEMs’ insure that their forecast and orders are up to date so they have the right tires at the right time.

2014 crop updateSeptember 2, 2014 U.S. corn and soybean crops remain in great shape, but a couple of key development stages are still slower than average. As of Sunday, 90% of corn is at the dough making stage, compared to the five year average of 89%, 53% has dented, compared to 59% on average, and 8% has reached maturity, compared to 16% on average. 74% of corn is in good to excellent shape, up 1% on the week.

95% of soybeans are at the pod setting stage, matching the five year average, and 5% of the crop is dropping leaves, compared to 7% on average. 72% of soybeans are rated good to excellent, 2% more than a week ago.

38% of spring wheat is harvested, compared to 65% on average, with 63% of the crop called good to excellent, down 3% from last week.

This will continue to have a downward effect on commodity prices and impacting farm income. With the overall 48% of U.S. pastures and rangelands are in good to excellent condition, unchanged.

tony Solon MARKETING MANAGER

sAles & mARkeTinG updATe Aem Ag equipment Market Information

facts & Figuresupcoming baagu fourth Quarter Courses

note to teammates: Courses are held on-site and are free to ALL active teammates. Sign up on BAAGU LMS or on BAAG.com.

Additional courses will be added in October, check out BAAG.com for the updated list.

ocToBeR9thWhite Belt

13thYellow Belt

14thWhite Belt

16thWhite Belt

21stWhite Belt

23rdWhite Belt

28thWhite Belt

novemBeR6thWhite Belt

10thYellow Belt

12thExcel Basic

13thWhite Belt

18thFact or Crap

20thColor Model

decemBeR8thYellow Belt

11thDiscussing the Undiscussable

16thExcel Intermediate

16thJon StetsonSee page 8 for more information

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