The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has named TIA CEO Dr. Roy Littlefield and Martin Barry, former president of the National Tire Dealers Association (NTDA), to the Tire Industry Hall of Fame. They will be inducted on Nov. 2 during the Global Tire Expo/SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev.
Littlefield has worked for TIA and its predecessor associations for more than 40 years, including the past 18 as TIA's CEO/executive vice president. As TIA's CEO, Littlefield stabilized and expanded the association. Membership now stands at an all-time high of more than 13,000, according to TIA officials - up from 2,700 members when he took over.
Under Littlefield's leadership, TIA's finances also are the strongest they have ever been.
"As the association's first full-time government affairs director, Littlefield initiated periodic Lobby Days in Washington D.C., grew the association's political action committee and expanded its legislative influence at the federal, state and local levels for the benefit of TIA members and the tire industry," say TIA officials.
"Under his watch, TIA expanded its tire technician training programs to cover all tire types and saw the number of TIA-trained techs grow to more than 200,000."
Littlefield has the second-longest tenure as the association's top executive.
The late Martin Barry was the association's longest-running president and was one of only three, triple-term presidents in TIA's history, having been elected to the NTDA in 1931, 1932 and 1933.
TIA officials say he played a pivotal role "in helping the organization survive and evolve in its early years, guiding it through two evolutionary name changes, the Great Depression and World War II."
During his terms, Barry helped ensure that the association maintained its focus on independent tire dealers.
"He championed a new retail code of ethics for both tire and battery distribution."
A tire dealer himself, Barry owned and operated a dealership in Baltimore, Md., that sold Hood brand tires. The company was founded in 1918 and added auto service 10 years later. It was still in operation at the time of Barry's death in 1955.
TIA also has announced that Monte Niemi, the CEO of First State Recycling, has won the 2021 Ed Wagner Leadership Award. Niemi was instrumental in establishing the tire-derived aggregate (TDA) market, formulating material specifications and working with civil engineers on various projects. Thanks to his efforts, millions of pounds of scrap tire material have been recycled into TDA. Niemi also is a member of TIA's Environmental Advisory Council.
The Ed Wagner Leadership Award is presented to individuals that demonstrate leadership and innovation in products and services that promote the tire, retreading and/or tire recycling industries.
And TIA has honored veteran tire industry reporter Miles Moore, who retired last year, with its 2021 Friend of the Industry Award. During his career, which started in 1977, Moore covered legislation, regulations and court cases "of vital interest to the tire industry. He also reported on other issues crucial to tire dealers, retreaders and manufacturers."
"We are pleased to honor these exceptional individuals," says incoming TIA President Mason Hess.
TIA will recognize this year's honorees at the Tire Industry Honors Awards Luncheon on Monday, Nov. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan hotel and casino in Las Vegas. This is a complimentary-ticketed event. However, advance RSVPs are required.
