The Tire Industry Association has created a new non-profit foundation, the TIA Foundation, to fund tire industry research, educational and training activities.
Combining elements of the former foundations of the International Tire & Rubber Association and the Tire Association of North America, the TIA Foundation will focus on training programs to help tire-related businesses comply with government regulations, lower liability, train employees in critical tasks and add value to their operations.
``The launch of the new foundation essentially starts a charity to improve the educational and training services available to industry professionals,'' said Ross Kogel, TIA executive vice president, in an Oct. 8 press release.
In the past four months, the foundation received $284,500 in donations, the release stated.
Donors included ASA Tire Systems, Bandag Inc., Carlisle Tire & Wheel Co., Continental Tire North America Inc., Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear, Michelin North America Inc., Sure Tire, TBC Corp., Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corp., Treadways Corp. and Yokohama Tire Corp.
Also, the Internal Revenue Service approved the transfer of $625,000 from a former TANA trust to the TIA Foundation, TIA said.
The initial board members of the TIA Foundation are TIA President Steve Disney of Disney Tire, Louisville, Ky.; Steve Gray of Gray's Tire, Fort Worth, Texas; and John Casey of Albert Tire, Pensauken, N.J.