"The first order of business will be consistency," new Tire Association of North America (TANA) President Steve Disney told attendees at an early morning press conference today.
Disney, who officially took TANA's reins from outgoing President Nick Hodel, has three immediate goals for the new association that will result if TANA and International Tire & Rubber Association (ITRA) members approve the organizations' merger by a two-thirds vote in December:
1. "We want to ensure that all members have a consistent experience," he said. "We must deliver excellent member services;"
2. "We will deliver publicly in all of our discussions and communications the fact that all board members, leadership and staff support this merger proposal." Disney also vowed to reach out to state, regional and provincial organizations because "we all are in the same boat;"
3. "It's important to maintain a consistent mission," which will include technical services and consulting, training and education and "vigorous advocacy" of tire industry interests on Capitol Hill.
"We must endeavor to raise the image of the tire in the minds of the public," Disney said. "We are not getting the respect due to us... we must work as an industry to correct that situation.
"Each industry segment will have a voice in the direction of the (new) association; nobody will be disenfranchised."
The proposed merger of TANA and ITRA was announced yesterday at The International Tire Expo in Las Vegas, Nev., following unanimous decisions to bring the organizations together made by each group's board of directors.
