This year's Global Tire Expo truly was a Global Tire Expo. For proof, just look at the sheer number of companies from China that exhibited at the event.

When will the recession end? How does it compare to past recessions? Is the worst over? If any of these questions have crossed your mind, you should pick up the April 2010 issue of American History magazine.

Dick Morgan, founder of management consulting firm Morgan Marketing Solutions, talks with independent tire dealers on a regular basis. He recently spoke with several dealers about the challenges they're facing and what they're doing to overcome them.

It’s been 13 months since Modern Tire Dealer launched its new, improved Web site, and in that time, I’ve learned a lot about the exciting, ever-changing world of electronic publishing.

Ten years ago, when I was a rookie reporter at Modern Tire Dealer and knew next to nothing about truck tires, my editor sent me to a day-long course at Standard Testing Laboratories (STL) in Massillon, Ohio. For nine hours, my classmates and I sat through presentations about truck tire design, technology and construction.

Sometimes stepping away from your daily routine is necessary to gain a fresh perspective on our complex, ever-changing business. That was certainly the case last week, when I attended the 2009 edition of Autopromotec in Bologna, Italy.