Even though there are 525 people on the Black’s Tire Service Inc. payroll, owner Ricky Benton says not a single one of those people works for him.

Full name: Ricky James Benton

Ricky Benton knew he wanted to be his own boss. Growing up on a farm, he was accustomed to a hard day’s work. By the time he graduated from West Columbus High School in 1973, he had cashed paychecks from a sewing factory, a tire retread shop and a plywood mill.