The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has established a foundation which will use funds to create new education and training programs for tire industry professionals.
There is already $831,632 in the fund, according to TIA, thanks to gifts from industry suppliers and a transfer of $625,000 in assets from a former trust of the Tire Association of North America (TANA).
Says TIA President Steve Disney, "The education and training programs developed by the foundation as well as those offered by the association will serve our industry and the public greatly. We look forward to 'raising the bar' for industry professionals, as well as the benefits that will flow from their increased knowledge and ability."
"We are deeply grateful to the companies which gave to the foundation," says TIA Executive Vice President Ross Kogel. "The industry's support of the association, and the foundation, during the merger process has been fantastic."
ASA Tire Systems, Bandag Inc., Carlisle Tire and Wheel, Continental Tire North America, Cooper Tire and Rubber Co., Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Michelin North Americ, SURE Tire Co., TBC Corp., Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corp., Treadways Corp. and Yokohama Tire Corp. gave a total of $284,500 to the foundation in just the past four months, says TIA.
Initial board members of the foundation are TIA President Steve Disney of Disney Tire in Louisville, Ky.; Steve Gray of Gray's Tire in Ft. Worth, Texas; and John Casey of Albert Tire in Pensauken, N.J.
Disney says a particular focus of the foundation will be training programs that help businesses comply with government regulations and laws (including the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act), lower their liability, train their employees in critical tasks and add value to their businesses.
