Charles J. Pilliod

The Honorable Charles J. Pilliod Jr. passed away Monday April 18th. Chuck was born October 20th, 1918 to Julia and Charles J. Pilliod in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by wife, Betty Jacobs Pilliod; sisters, Marydell and Colleen; brothers, Al and Dallas.

He is survived by loving wife Nancy; and children, Christine Earhart (Ken), Charles J. III, Mark (Carolyn), Rene Skove (Jude), and Steve (Judi); step-children, Joe Conley, Ben L. Conley, and Karen Vollmar (Andrew); grandchildren, Jeff, David, Michael, Suzanne, CJ IV, Sarah, Bette, Trevor, Tucker, John and Gigi; great-grandchildren, CJV V, Maya and Taylor Marie; sisters-in-law, Jeanne McVay, Marge Arnold, and Bonnie Pilliod.

Chuck joined Goodyear in 1941 as a production trainee, after serving as a pilot in the Army Air Corps in the Asiatic Theater. He rejoined Goodyear in 1945 with assignments in Foreign Operations. In 1946, Chuck married Marie "Betty" Jacobs, also a native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

In the ensuing years, he served in management positions in Goodyear's Latin American operations in Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia and Brazil. In 1963 he transferred to England as Managing Director of Goodyear-Great Britain which encompassed England, Scotland and Ireland.

He returned to Akron in 1966 as Director of Operations for Goodyear International and became Vice President of the subsidiary the following year. In January, 1971 he was elected President of Goodyear International and Executive Vice President of the parent company and a member of the Board of Directors. He became President and Chief Operating Officer of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in July 1972, Chief Executive Officer in January 1974, and was elected Chairman and CEO in April of that year.

Chuck retired as Chairman and CEO of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company after 42 years of service, which included more than a quarter century in the multinational corporation's foreign operations and service in 10 foreign nations. He remained a member of the Board of Directors and a Consultant to Goodyear until October 1986 when, at the request of President Ronald Reagan, he accepted the post of U.S. Ambassador to Mexico--a post he held until mid 1989.

He also served as a Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chairman of the Brazil-US Business Council and was a founding member of the Business Roundtable. Chuck served on President Jimmy Carter's Study Committee on National Health, the Grace Committee on Cost Reduction in Government and as a member of President Reagan's Blue Ribbon Committee on Defense Management.

Chuck has been active on the Boards of several U.S. companies, having served as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Cas Tech Aluminum Group Inc., as a Director of Manufacturers Hanover Bank, CPC International, the Continental Group, COMSAT, Greyhound Corporation, J.H. Williams, Diebold, Inc., Empire Berol Corp., A. Schulman, Inc, AEA Investors, Inc, Dal Tile International and Marvin and Palmer Associates, Inc.

He was a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Akron and former member of the Boards of Trustees of Mount Union and Muskingum Colleges. Chuck holds Honorary Doctor of Law degrees from Kent State University College and Western Kentucky. He also has an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from the University of Akron and Doctor of Human Letters from Mount Union College as well as Honorary Doctor of Letters from St. Edwards University. He has an Honorary Doctor of International Law degree conferred by the Mexican Chapter in 1989 and an Honorary Doctorate degree from the Universidad de las Americas.

In 1992, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Auto industry, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. In 1995, was inducted into the NTDRA Hall of fame for his outstanding contribution to the tire industry. He is a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award, the Golden Plate of Excellence Award, and holds a number of foreign decorations: Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Grand Officer in the Order of Merit and Grand British Empire, Grand Officer in the Order of Merit and Grand Officer of the Civilian and Military Order of Merit of Adolphe de Nassau, both bestowed by the Royal House of Luxembourg. Officer in the Order of Leopold II, presented by Belgium. The Brazilian Order of Rio Branco, Brazilian Order of the Southern Cross, and the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, presented by the President of Mexico.

Most of all he enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest. Besides all of his business accomplishments, he loved life and lived it to the fullest. Chuck will be missed and will leave a tremendous void in all our lives.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. SATURDAY, April 23rd at St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church, 164 W. Market. Private interment at Oakwood Cemetery. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one's favorite charity. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)