General's Ockene: 'there's reason to look for improvement.' (General Tire and Rubber Co. CEO Alan Ockene) (Exclusive MTD Interviews) (Interview)

It has been nearly a year and a ha since Alan Ockene left a vice president at Goodyear to take over as president an CEO of General Tire.

He inherited a company in transition - in the midst of layoffs and staff reorganizations. He also stepped into a situation where the company was bleeding money.

Ockene is the third top man at Genera since the company was purchased Germany's Continental Tire five years ago.

And the parent" had been showing obvious signs of impatience with the "child" many analysts said it had paid too much money to acquire.

The trauma has continued during Ockene's tenure.

Layoffs and transfers have gone on, hitting especially hard at the company headquarters in Akron.

The company's short-lived "mentor", system with leaders and advisers for H business teams was recently scrapped. There are now three divisions that include manufacturing and tire development.

This transforms cost ceneter into contributors to profit centers.

In the last year, General has completed the sale of its company-owned tire stores and has closed its only Canadian plant in Barrie, Ontario.

On the positive side, General opened a joint venture truck and bus tire plant last year in Mt. Vernon, Ill., which is running well and producing product for General and two Japanese tire company …