TIA elects Dan Beach secretary

May 26, 2005

The board of directors of the Tire Industry Association (TIA) have elected Dan Beach secretary. Beach, CEO and president of the Tire Alliance Groupe (TAG), will take over for Peggy Fisher, who will move to the vice president's chair on Nov. 1, 2005.

As secretary, Beach will proceed through the officers' chairs until he becomes president for a one-year term beginning in November 2008.

"We are extremely pleased to have Dan fill the position of secretary," says Dick Gust, TIA president. "I believe we will all greatly benefit from the experience Dan brings to the position, as well as his strong commitment to the tire industry."

Beach started his life long career in the tire industry when he joined Goodyear International Corp. (GIC) in 1968 after earning his MBA in Foreign Trade from Thunderbird School of International Management. He held numerous sales posts with GIC, and while serving as the sales director of Sweden in 1976, he ended his tenure with GIC to return to the United States and pursue his personal goal of starting his own retail business.

In 1977, Beach opened his first Dob's Tire & Auto Center in Ventura, Calif. Over the next 16 years, he grew Dob's into a major regional retailer, operating 62 stores and three wholesale tire centers in five states. He was a member of the Kelly-Springfield Tire Dealer Council for more than five years during this time.

In October 1993, Beach successfully merged his company with Compton, Calif.-based RPJ Tire Co. (Parnelli Jones), and operated 96 retail locations and six wholesale tire centers in six states. He sold his interest in March of 1996.

In May of the same year, he joined TAG as the CEO and president. He has been instrumental in growing TAG into one of the largest buying groups in North America. TAG now represents more than 500 independent tire businesses operating more than 1,750 retail locations throughout all 50 states, Canada and parts of Mexico.

In November 2003, Beach began his term on the TIA board of directors, where he continues to serve today.

"I am greatly honored by the vote of confidence from my peers," says Beach. "TIA gives all of us the opportunity to work towards the betterment of our industry in order to benefit the most important constituency, our customers."