Commercial Tire Founder Bob Schwenkfelder Dies
John R. “Bob” Schwenkfelder, the founder of Meridien, Idaho-based Commercial Tire Inc., one of the country's largest commercial tire dealerships, died on March 28.
"Schwenkfelder launched Commercial Tire in 1968 from a single location in Boise, Idaho, with Simplot as one of his first customers, a Bridgestone supply agreement and a straightforward conviction: build trust with customers, invest in the people around you, and the business will follow," according to Commercial Tire officials.
"Over five decades, he proved himself right. Commercial Tire grew into one of the country's Top 25 Commercial Tire Dealerships and Top 100 Independent Tire Dealerships, with operations spanning Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Utah."
Commercial Tire, with 10 commercial-only locations and 38 commercial/retail stores, is the 13th largest commercial tire dealership in the United States, according to MTD's 2025 Top 25 U.S. Commercial Tire Dealers list. Overall, Commercial Tire is the 28th largest independent tire dealership in the country, according to the 2025 MTD 100, published last July. (The dealership - which operates in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Utah - also has four retread plants and several distribution centers.)
Commercial Tire officials say that Schwenkfelder's influence "extended well beyond his own operation. Schwenkfelder was involved in helping establish the American Commercial Tire Network, a national service network that expanded roadside and fleet support capabilities for commercial trucking operations coast to coast — a structure that continues to serve the industry today."
"Bob's vision and leadership built Commercial Tire into the company it is today," says Trent Schwenkfelder, Bob's son and president of Commercial Tire. "He understood the commercial tire business at a level very few did — the fleet relationships, the service infrastructure, what operators actually needed on the road. But what set him apart was that he never let the business get bigger than the people running it."
In 2019, Schwenkfelder guided the company through its conversion to 100% employee ownership. The transition preserved the company's independence while creating long-term equity for its workforce.
Schwenkfelder is survived by his wife, Bonnie; his children, Trent and Kelli; and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"Commercial Tire continues under the leadership of Trent Schwenkfelder and its employee-owners. Memorial details will be announced in the coming days. Condolences and a tribute to Bob's life can be found at commercialtire.com/bob."