New Online Program Trains in Selling Skills and Business Management as well as Products and Brand

FINDLAY, Ohio, July 15, 2014 - Cooper Tire & Rubber Company today announced it has launched an enhanced online tire business training program for its direct and indirect wholesale and retail dealers. This new program, eCooper University Training Rewards, offers Cooper-brand customers several online courses in selling skills, product knowledge, the Cooper brand and business management knowledge. Participants who complete the training classes will earn points that translate to various levels of certification from Cooper, as well as rewards to incentivize their teams to learn more as they build their business with Cooper.

"Our distribution partners, whether wholesalers or retailers, are key to our success," said Phil Caris, Vice President of Sales for Cooper Tire North America. "We want them to be as knowledgeable about how to sell tires and run their businesses as they are about our products and our brand. We believe that when they are successful, we are successful."

Several of the business-based learning modules are built on topics addressed in Cooper's former and very successful CAMP program, and have been brought up to date for today's e-learning environment. It also builds on the success of the eCooper University eCertification program, which is being replaced by the new program. Built on the idea of a university curriculum, the program offers certification levels comprised of several complementary classes. The Basic Training Certification, for example, is designed to serve as an entry-level training for people moving into the industry as sales representatives and countermen:

Class
Sales 101: Salesmanship
Product 101: Tire Fundamentals
Product 102: The Cooper Lineup
Brand 101: Working with Cooper Tire
Business 101: The Tire Industry

Focus
Basic selling skills for both wholesalers and retailers
The basics of tire design, manufacture and performance
The line of tires offered by Cooper
How Cooper supports its dealers and distributor
Overview of the Tire Industry



Future certification levels include Sales Specialist, designed to help tire sales professionals address specific markets within the industry; Sales Leader, focused on helping tire sales professionals achieve the highest levels of expertise within the industry in tire sales and product knowledge; and Tire Business Leader, designed for managers and principals of tire dealers and distributors and is focused on providing business training for successfully managing a tire business with courses that may include marketing, financial management and human resources. Currently, the Basic Training Level is available along with 10 product specific courses, with the additional certification classes being made available over the next 12 to 18 months.

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About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) is the parent company of a global family of companies that specialize in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sales of passenger car and light truck tires. Cooper has joint ventures, affiliates and subsidiaries that also specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper's headquarters is in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies, located in 11 countries around the world.www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire, or www.twitter.com/coopertire.

Contact:
Michelle Rehbein
419.424.4251
mrrehbein@coopertire.com

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