Award
The Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce in Monmouth, N.J., recently named Jeff Stafford, president and owner of Stafford Tire Center Inc., its Business Person of the Year.
The award is presented annually to a local business owner who "rises above all others" by fair and honest business practices and a commitment to the community, according to the Chamber of Commerce. This year's award will be presented at a May 10 cocktail reception and dinner.
Mr. Stafford told Tire Business he is very honored to receive the award, which he won with no competition. He said he always tries to give back to his customers and community.
"I try to help people...I have a very good name here."
Stafford Tire, based in Middletown, N.J., is known for sponsoring local events, charities and sports teams including a men's softball team that won a national championship in men's modified pitch softball in 1992. That team also took home a gold medal in the 1993 Men's Major Modified Fast Pitch Softball World Series in Puerto Rico.
Mr. Stafford founded his dealership, a three-bay store, in 1975 at the age of 21. It carries Goodyear, Firestone and Summit brands and performs brake, shock, strut and wheel alignment services.
Family members involved in the business include Mr. Stafford's wife, Pam, a bookkeeper, and teenage sons, Gary and Mark, who occasionally help out with computer-entry work.
Opening
Treadways Corp. of North Wales, Pa., will hold a grand opening April 7-10 for its Southhaven Distribution Center in Memphis, Tenn.
The new facility will become the primary distribution center for Treadways, which markets private brands including Centennial, Eldorado, Jetzon, Telstar, Laramie and Sumitomo.
The center, which already has begun distributing products, will employ 35 and will service some 2,000 dealerships.
The Memphis site began receiving product from its primary suppliers in December and January and began shipping products to its customers from the facility in February.
Treadways built the facility in Memphis to serve its customers better, said Dan Wire, Treadways president.
The company also operates distribution centers in Norristown, Pa., and in Napa, Calif.
Mr. Wire said Treadways closed its Kansas City warehouse in February after the Memphis site opened. Over the next two years, he said, the company will look at expanding on the West Coast.
He estimated last year's sales at $250 million.
Acquisition
Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. has acquired three Yudy's Tire & Auto Service stores in Lewiston, Falmouth and Westbrook, Maine.
The purchase marks Norwell, Mass.-based Sullivan Tire's entry into the Maine market. The dealership now operates 45 stores, according to Bill Patterson, manager of direct marketing, who declined to comment further on the acquisition.
Sullivan Tire posts $39 million in annual sales and operates mainly in the Boston area.