When Goodyear shareholders gather late Monday afternoon for the tire company’s annual meeting, they won’t be in Akron.
Instead, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s shareholders meeting will be in nearby Fairlawn at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton.
It’s the first time in decades — perhaps the first time ever — that Goodyear’s annual meeting will be someplace other than in the city in which it has its headquarters.
And headquarters is the reason for the locale change. Goodyear just moved into its new corporate headquarters off Innovation Way, a short distance from historic Goodyear Hall and the large theater inside that traditionally held shareholder meetings.
Goodyear no longer owns Goodyear Hall and the former corporate headquarters just across East Market Street. Those buildings and others are now owned by developer Industrial Realty Group and will be renovated and soon put to new uses. So Goodyear needed a new venue this year.
“We don’t have theater space in the new building,” Goodyear spokesman Keith Price said.
This likely is the first time since at least 1937 that Goodyear’s annual meeting will be held in a place other than Goodyear Hall, he said.
On the docket are Goodyear board-endorsed proposals on executive compensation and performance plans, removing supermajority voting on removing directors, eliminating cumulative shareholder voting regarding electing board members, amending Goodyear’s code of regulations regarding special meetings and opting out of the Ohio control share acquisition law.
The package of proposals is intended to improve Goodyear’s corporate governance, Price said.
The meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. The Hilton is at 3180 W. Market St., near Summit Mall.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com