Longtime tire industry icon Saul Ganin, president of Ganin Tire and a pioneer in private brand marketing, died today in Brooklyn, N.Y., after a long illness. He was 83.
"He was one of the giants of the industry," says Jeff Zegans, Saul's son-in-law and vice president of Ganin Tire.
Ganin Tire is a fourth generation business that was started in 1923 in Brooklyn by Saul's father. It retails and wholesales a complete line of tires, including commercial and retreaded tires.
Saul was one of the earliest private branders. He formed the Reynolds Tire and Rubber Co., which over the years offered the Reynolds, Brigadier and Vanderbilt private brands.
The Brigadier and Reynolds brands are now marketed under the Brigadier Tire Group (the Vanderbilt line was sold to TBC Corp.).
Saul Ganin was elected to the Tire Industry Hall of Fame in 1985.
He leaves his wife, Geraldine; son Steven, vice president of Ganin Tire; daughters Terry Ganin-Zegans and Beth Ganin-Mitchell; and seven grandchildren.
