NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Hankook Tire America Corp. has announced that Soo II Lee will become its president, effective this month. Lee previously served as president and COO of its America headquarters from 2009 through 2012.
Lee is succeeding Hosung Suh, who began his term as president in July 2017. Suh will return to Hankook’s global headquarters in Seoul, Korea, to take over a new position this month. Lee begins his position in Nashville mid-January.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead Hankook Tire’s team in America,” said Lee. “As we move into this new decade, I am excited about being able to continue the growth of our American headquarters, as well as implement the necessary strategic initiatives that will continue our goal of becoming a global leader in the tire industry.”
Lee received his master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from Michigan State University in 1996. He began working at Hankook in 1987, and has held many executive-level positions during his tenure. In 2009, he was selected as president and COO for the American headquarters. In 2017, he was appointed executive vice president, chief marketing officer and chief corporate management officer at Hankook’s global headquarters in Seoul, Korea. In 2018, he was promoted to president and COO of Hankook’s global headquarters.
“As a proven leader, Lee brings his wealth of Hankook knowledge and experience back to America,” said Hosung Suh, outgoing America headquarters president. “He will help us continue to elevate our brand and continue our growth in the region. He also understands the value of customer service and our commitment to excellence in manufacturing high-quality products for North American consumers.”
Under Suh’s tenure, Hankook Tire opened its first state-of-the-art 1.5 million square foot manufacturing facility in the United States in Clarksville, Tenn. in October 2017. The opening of the plant expanded the company’s global footprint by solidifying its commitment to innovation, technology and growth in North America.
The Tennessee Plant operates at full capacity and has helped grow Clarksville’s economy. The plant has also allowed Hankook to incorporate sustainable design and construction into its tire manufacturing, by leveraging top-tier technology through its highly automated manufacturing process.
Lee will split his time between Hankook’s America headquarters in Nashville, and global headquarters in Seoul. He will specifically focus on these three key themes at the American headquarters: competitiveness, innovation and results. Strategic initiatives will be put in place to enhance Hankook’s competitiveness in the tire industry, officials noted.
Additionally, Hankook will focus on and seek answers to “why” and “how” questions, in order to provide innovation breakthroughs that will help garner more of the market. And finally, the answers to these questions, along with R&D, will be used to help produce results.
About Hankook Tire America Corp.
From its humble beginnings in 1941 as Korea’s first tire company, Hankook has grown into the seventh-largest tire company in the world, one that continues to create new possibilities and overcome new challenges. Hankook has 21,000 employees, with local offices in 30 countries, with five R&D centers located in Korea, the USA, Germany, China and Japan. Production facilities are located in eight countries, in Korea (2), China (3), USA, Hungary and Indonesia. https://www.hankooktire.com
