Nick Hodel, co-founder, CEO and president of Northwest Tire Factory LLC, says he has been dismissed from the Portland, Ore.-based distribution group. That decision was made by the executive committee of the board of directors.
Bill Spencer will fill Hodel's position on an interim basis. Spencer, who runs a tire dealership in Creswell, Ore., is formerly chairman of the group's management committee.
Portland, Ore.-based Northwest Tire Factory has 200 stores throughout 13 western states. The group offers Dunlop, Kelly, Kumho, Cooper, Michelin, Nokian, BFGoodrich, Goodyear and GT Radial tires through its distribution centers in Portland and Salt Lake City, Utah.
"They have asked me to stay on as a consultant for next year," says Hodel, 59.
In a letter sent out to the group's membership, Chairman Chris Cornelius praised Hodel for his leadership, and thanked him "for his hard work, ideas and vision that made Northwest Tire Factory the success it is today."
"While Nick's departure is a profound change for our organization, it's also an opportunity to reassess our direction, focus and strategies and adapt to position Northwest Tire Factory for its next 20 years of growth," wrote Cornelius. "Learning to do business in the new economy is a matter of finding those opportunities among the problems."
According to Cornelius, Northwest Tire Factory has experienced above market rate returns on member investments in both the Northwest Tire Factory operating company and Northwest Tire Factory Real Property since 1997.
"Nick has left us with a strong foundation upon which we can all continue to build and grow Northwest Tire Factory."
