In 2005, Joe Ramsay was turning wrenches at Pit Stop Auto Repair — at the time a three-store dealership headquartered in Venice, Fla. “I always teased management that I was so bad at that, they would have to put me in the office!” Sixteen years later, as owner and president, Ramsay is “the office.”

Frozen lug nuts, bad weather and heavy traffic — these are some of the more mundane surprises that road service technicians can encounter. But once in a while, you come across a situation that’s so odd you remember it many years later.

VIP Tires & Service President and CEO Tim Winkeler says the company's annual internal survey is a critical tool in attracting and retaining employees, and the conversations that follow it are a big part of the VIP culture.

Are your counterpeople "order-takers" or "sales-makers?" Tire dealership sales and leadership coach Mike Townsend teaches you how to spot the difference.

Continental Tire the Americas LLC sees a bright future for the all-weather segment. The company introduced its first all-weather tire - a General brand product - earlier this year. But it had been eyeing the all-weather segment for quite some time.

Time to sell your business? Dennis McCarron calls upon 30 years of tire retail experience to provide valuable advice in this episode of The Modern Tire Dealer Show.

While it’s sometimes true that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” what happens in California doesn’t always stay in California - especially when it comes to fuel efficiency requirements for tires. A potential fuel efficiency mandate in "The Golden State" could have far-reaching impact.

National franchise operation RNR Tire Express had a banner year in 2020 and is poised for an even better 2021. The Tampa. Fla.-based company has agreements in place to open nearly 50 more franchise outlets before the end of the year. Larry Sutton, president of RNR Tire Express, wants 500 franchise locations by 2027. It’s an ambitious target, but well within reach, he says.

Can you force your employees to get vaccinated? Mario Barrera, an attorney who specializes in labor and employment law, says the answer is yes, but he also explains why you should consult with an expert before imposing a vaccine mandate. Consider this one more piece of your workplace safety puzzle.

“Entrepreneurship is a tough road,” says Jim Duff. “You’re exposed all of the time to pressures. But we like it.” 

Announced this past January, Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J is a “game changer,” according to Jim Duff. “And we have to make it work,” adds Tommy Duff. 

Despite its size and scope, Southern Tire Mart’s corporate structure is lean — and that’s by design. Jim and Tommy Duff work with a small leadership team at their state-of-the-art corporate office in Columbia, Miss. Several members of the group have been with Southern Tire Mart since the 1980s. 

Long before “giving back” became buzzwords, Jim and Tommy Duff - the owners of Southern Tire Mart and the recipients of this year's Tire Dealer of the Year Award - had fully embraced the practice as an outgrowth of their faith. 

They own and operate the biggest commercial truck tire dealership in the United States. Their company also is the largest retreader in the country — with its daily production eclipsing that of three different tire manufacturers. They’ve built a coast-to-coast empire spanning more than 150 stores across 15 states that is on track to hit $2 billion in sales this year. They’re Jim and Tommy Duff, the owners of Southern Tire Mart. They’re the recipients of MTD’s 2021 Tire Dealer of the Year Award. And they say they’re just getting started. 

Ever wonder if you have the right HR systems and processes in place? In this episode of The Modern Tire Dealer Show, Jamie Hasty, vice president of SESCO Management Consultants - which advises some of the country's leading tire dealerships - offers real-world advice, from how to optimize your employee interview process to compensation plans, employee handbooks and more.

Beth Barron has been the CEO of Chabill’s Tire & Auto Service since 2018, but her entire career has been in and around the tire business.

August has been an action-packed month for the North American tire industry. In this episode of The Modern Tire Dealer Show, MTD’s editors discuss the top stories of the last several weeks, while providing commentary and analysis that you will not find anywhere else. There’s a lot going on - including strong indicators that the positive momentum that our industry is generating will continue through the rest of the year. Learn all about it right here! 

Allen Park, Mich.-based Belle Tire Distributors Inc. will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. Between now and then, however, the dealership is focused on establishing a foothold in the Chicago, Ill., market, which it recently entered, while maintaining momentum in central and northern Indiana, where it has added more than 30 stores over the last several years. In this MTD exclusive, Don Barnes III, Belle Tire's president, answers the question "Why Chicago?," discusses the company's rapid growth in Indiana and more.

M&A expert Michael McGregor discusses recent acquisitions by some of the country's largest tire dealerships, Monro's westward expansion, why wholesale-distributors are ripe for acquisition and economic conditions that will continue to fuel M&A activity.

Pietro Berardi, the CEO of Pirelli Tire North America, has a distinct vision for the company’s strategy in the United States, and he discusses that and more for this episode of The Modern Tire Dealer Show.

From extended delivery delays to sky-high freight rates, the shipping crisis continues to throw a monkey wrench into supply chains — and many tire dealers are shouldering the burden. When will it end? What can dealers do in the meantime? Martin Dixon, head of research products for Drewry — a global shipping industry consultancy with offices in the United Kingdom, China, India and Singapore — provides answers in this MTD exclusive.

Ramsey, Minn.-based Heartland Tire Inc. has acquired Graham Tire East from Bob and Martha Graham. The deal includes eight combination retail/commercial locations - five in Iowa and three in Minnesota - giving Heartland a total of 27 stores.

It’s been five years since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted a second round of fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Those standards are still in place. And they continue to create challenges when it comes to truck tire design.