LONDON, Ontario—Robert B. "Bob" Arthurs, longtime executive director of the Ontario Tire Dealers Association and executive vice president of the Tire Dealers Association of Canada, died Dec. 25, 1999, at University Hospital in London following a long illness. He was 73. Mr. Arthurs began his tire industry career in the early 1950s as a field sales rep for B.F. Goodrich. A decade later he went into business for himself as co-owner of Planet Tire in London.
He sold that business in 1969 but couldn't stay away for long, co-founding Baiko Tire Sales in London in 1973. Both Planet Tire and Baiko Tire were full-range dealerships with large wholesale operations.
A strong advocate of industry trade associations, Mr. Arthurs was a longtime member of the OTDA before agreeing to become its executive director on a part-time basis in 1986. After he sold Baiko Tire in 1989, he took on the association post full time, and soon added responsibility for the TDAC.
During his tenure, the OTDA's membership grew from fewer than 20 to about 700 when he retired in 1998, said his successor and son-in-law John Goodwin. Mr. Arthurs was the second inductee into the association's hall of fame.
Though he stepped down from his post with the OTDA, Mr. Arthurs remained executive vice president of the TDAC and was active until his final few months, planning for the group's quadrennial convention and trade show, set for Jan. 26-29 in Toronto.
Mr. Arthurs is survived by his wife, Audrey, two daughters and two grandchildren.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association, 442 Adelaide St. N., London, Ontario N6B 3H8.