Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi LLC, a manufacturing subsidiary of Yokohama Tire Corp., has announced the hiring of its first employee, Human Resources Manager Melissa Orman.

Orman will be responsible for hiring personnel at Yokohama's new commercial tire plant in West Point, Miss. Groundbreaking for the $300 million facility, which is set to open in October 2015, took place in September.

Approximately 500 jobs will be created during the first phase of operations. The one million-square-foot factory will include production, warehousing and operations facilities, and will produce up to one million tires annually.

“Things are moving quickly with the plant, and we are ready to start hiring,” says Rob Harrelson, vice president of human resources and administration for Yokohama Tire Corp. "Bringing Melissa onboard was a crucial step in the process. She’s a West Point resident, Mississippi State University cum laude graduate and brings significant experience to the post."

Orman was director of human resources at Navistar Defense LLC in conjunction with Griffin Inc. At peak employment, the Navistar West Point facility had employment exceeding 1,000 people.