Fredrick ‘Fred’ Taylor

Fredrick ‘Fred’ Taylor, 70, of Rome, Ga., died Dec. 13, 2021. Taylor was the founder of several businesses including OTR Wheel Engineering, Blackstone OTR, TWA and Green Carbon, which are located in Rome; and OTR International with locations in the U.S., Europe, Canada, China, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Many of these companies have multiple locations with a total of more than 1,000 valued employees worldwide.

Taylor founded OTR Wheel Engineering in 1987. He served as CEO of the company until early 2021 when Tom Rizzi was hired, after which he transitioned to the role of chairman of the board.

Known for his entrepreneurial spirit, Taylor was the driving force behind the creation and launch of many innovative tire and wheel assemblies, securing numerous patents and trademarks that set the standard in the industry, such as the Outrigger tire.

Taylor is survived by his wife, Mary Vander Ark Taylor; daughters, Kelly Taylor and Elisabeth Taylor; sons, Chadwick (Lee) Taylor, Eric Taylor and Andrew (Michelle) Taylor; and several grandchildren.