MTD Tire Dealer of the Year profile

Sept. 16, 2014

Bruce Halle can pinpoint when he received the best piece of advice in his lifetime. On his way into the Marine Corps in 1950, his older brother, Fred Jr., told him, “Bruce, keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut.”

My full name is: Bruce Thomas Halle.

My age is: 84.

I am most proud of: the 17,000-plus employees of Discount Tire Co.

My hobbies and interests include: tennis, art, being an executive of Discount Tire.

My favorite childhood memory is: being part of a normal, hardworking family with four brothers, two sisters, a wonderful mother and a father of great character and strength.

My biggest regret is: I do not think I have a big regret; many small ones, perhaps. But they are far outweighed by many good memories!

My favorite book is: “And Why Not? Morality and Business,” an interview with François Michelin. (The book, a collection of the discussions Michelin held with French journalists Ivan Levai and Yves Messarovitch, includes his views on his faith, the morality of business and the current state of French politics.)

My favorite sport is: tennis.

My favorite athlete is: I have admired, and respected, many athletes over the years. Some names: Lou Gehrig, Gordie Howe, Hank Greenberg and, of course, Jesse Owens.

My favorite food is: a good, old-fashioned hot dog.

My favorite passage from the Bible is: the parable of the prodigal son.

If I could change one thing about myself I would: have to ask my son, Bruce Jr.; my daughters, Susan and Lisa; my wife, Diane; and many of our employees what that should be!

Please describe Discount Tire in one word: blessed.

My ultimate business goal is: to create success and fulfill the dreams of all the families of Discount Tire Co., to never forget that I am not the ultimate boss.

The smartest thing I’ve ever done is: enter the tire business, and to find and work with wonderful people; to be part of creating the great company that Discount Tire Co. is today.

The best advice my parents ever gave me was: be honest, work hard, be fair, obey the Ten Commandments, remember to say your prayers every day — especially the guardian angel prayer.

My advice to a tire dealer who is just starting out is: Mix fun with hard work, smile, share, tell the truth to everyone, including yourself.

The greatest thing about the tire industry today is: the new opportunities, the challenges of the marketing changes we are all facing today. These are new tools that we must all adapt to and learn to use to succeed in today’s business environment.

See the Bruce Halle story here.

About the Author

Bob Ulrich

Bob Ulrich was named Modern Tire Dealer editor in August 2000 and retired in January 2020. He joined the magazine in 1985 as assistant editor, and had been responsible for gathering statistical information for MTD's "Facts Issue" since 1993. He won numerous awards for editorial and feature writing, including five gold medals from the International Automotive Media Association. Bob earned a B.A. in English literature from Ohio Northern University and has a law degree from the University of Akron.