TIA Names Five Board Members for 2025
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has announced the results of its 2025 Board of Directors election, with five members being elected.
Joining the board for a three-year term are Stephen Callahan of Liberty Tire Recycling, Michael Jacobsen of Purcell Tire & Rubber Co., Jeff Campbell of Tire Discounters Inc. and John Evankovich of Sam’s Club Tire and Battery Centers.
Additionally, Darrell Jackson of Big O Tires will serve a two-year term to fill the vacancy created by Gary Schroeder’s move to the position of secretary at TIA.
“We are excited to welcome Stephen, Michael, Jeff, John and Darrell to the TIA Board of Directors,” says Dick Gust, CEO of TIA.
“The mix of new and returning leadership ensures a strong foundation of knowledge, innovation and continuity that will benefit TIA and the industry at large.”
The new directors will serve alongside current board members and TIA leadership to advance the association’s mission of promoting tire safety, training, and industry advocacy.
Background on members
The new directors will officially take office on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, during TIA’s Annual Membership Meeting, held in conjunction with the Global Tire Expo/Specialty Equipment Market Solution Show in Las Vegas.
Callahan has more than 24 years of experience in the scrap tire industry, where he has built a career focused on improving the end-of-life journey for tires through collaboration, innovation and sustainability.
He is also an active member of TIA, serving on the Environmental Advisory Council and is a director for the Ohio Tire & Automotive Association. He was formerly a board member of the Jefferson Hills Borough Environmental Advisory Council in Pennsylvania.
Jacobsen has 29 years of service to Purcell Tire Co., starting as a retread plant management trainee and rising to vice president of manufacturing. Today, he oversees operations at 11 retread plants across the country, leading a team of more than 180 employees.
In 2024, Jacobsen served on the OTR Retreading Panel at the TIA OTR Tire Conference, where he, along with others, brought attention to the knowledge gap surrounding OTR tire retreading and repairing.
Campbell brings three decades of tire industry experience to his role as chief supply officer at Tire Discounters. Throughout his career, he has held key leadership positions at National Tire Wholesale, TBC Corp.’s NTB Tire & Service Center, Sears and Monro Inc.
He served on the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association Board for nine years —seven of those as chairman. With 10 years of board experience, Campbell is recognized as a mentor and advocate for industry progress, especially in the areas of training and safety.
Evankovich is the director of Sam’s Club Tire and Battery Centers, overseeing more than 580 retail outlets across the U.S. He has worked at Sam’s Club for over 35 years, starting as a tire installation technician.
As the TIA president in 2019, he emphasized his strengths in building relationships with stakeholders and collaborating to improve business operations to meet mutual goals. A returning Board member, he describes himself as a student of the industry with a passion for consumer safety and environmental sustainability and is highly engaged in government relations.
“As an industry veteran and long-time TIA member, I understand the power of collaboration within our industry to ensure our voice is heard on a legislative level,” he says.
“TIA allows me to utilize my industry experience and understanding of the legislative process to help further the initiatives that impact all of us. I’m a long-time advocate of consumer safety and protecting our environment. TIA gives me the opportunity to be involved in developing training and best practices to help all tire retailers.”
Jackson has over 43 years of experience in the tire industry and brings knowledge on hands-on expertise to the training department. Before transitioning into training, he managed multiple tire retail locations and he holds many certifications from tire manufacturers like Michelin North America Inc. and Continental Tire the Americas LLC. He has also earned a professional instructor certificate from Friesen, Kaye and Associates.
Additionally, he is recognized as a master trainer by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), underscoring a deep commitment to instructional excellence. An active member of the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association (AMRA/MAP), he also contributes to industry standards through service on one of its technical committees.