New Winston Tire Co. owner Performance Management Inc. has started to implement plans designed to boost the 132-store, Burbank, Calif.-based chain's business and has appointed key Winston officers to quarterback its "turnaround."
"The plan is simple -- just get back to the basics and cut waste," says Bryant Kountz, Performance Management's CEO.
"The most immediate challenge is getting the right computer system in place."
Winston's existing system, according to Kountz, "isn't adequate for the retail tire business. It's a big cumbersome system that's too complicated and not very efficient at all."
The Lafayette, La.-based company, which also owns and operates 12 Allied Discount Tire Inc. stores throughout Louisiana, is meeting with several point-of-sale software developers.
Recently appointed upper-level Winston executives include: Ron Vines, who has held top marketing positions with The Heafner Group and Sears, Roebuck and Co.'s Tire Group, president and CEO; former Tire Kingdom Inc. executive John Kamlowsky, senior vice president; and longtime Winston employees Mark Doran and John Aben, vice presidents of sales and operations. Doran will be reponsible for Northern California and Aben will cover Southern California.
Performance Management bought Winston Tire from Heafner last week for an undisclosed sum.
