Creating incentives for private brand marketers and their customers to sell more premium brand tires is the Private Brand Tire Group's (PBTG) top goal this year.
PBTG is working with several marketing companies to develop programs where "everyone from administrators to retailers will be rewarded" by upgrading their tire mix, says PBTG Executive Director Don Dominguez.
Other PBTG goals include working with the Tire Association of North America to implement in-the-field training programs and linking its soon-to-be-completed www.privatebrand.com Web site with vendors and suppliers.
The group also is looking for more "cost-saving opportunities" like credit card programs, long-distance phone deals and others.
In addition, PBTG President and Treadways Corp.'s official Bill Hirst's term will be extended for another year in November.
Bob Gardner, president of Del-Nat Tire Corp., has replaced Don Helker, now retired, as the PBTG's vice president. The group's secretary/treasurer position was vacated when John O'Rourke left SURE Tire Co. earlier this year; the slot will be filled when SURE picks a replacement for O'Rourke, according to Dominguez.
PBTG held its annual member meeting last week in Naples, Fla.
