Long-time Chicago industrial tire dealer Paul Werd has died at the age of 90. He was a partner in the old Werd & Schaefer Tire Co.
One of the first Bandag dealerships in the Chicago area, Werd & Schaefer manufactured its own solid press-on tires.
"Paul was a pioneer in the handling of tires for intermodal service at various railroad yards, offering 24-hour service," says former employee Charlie Cohen, co-owner of Industrial Tire Solutions, a Bensenville, Ill.-based dealership.
Werd also served as president of the now-defunct Chicago Tire Dealers Association and was noted for his creative marketing, including sponsorship deals with the Chicago White Sox, adds Cohen.
