Joseph J. Kilcoyne, a longtime retread-industry veteran and a member of the International Tire Retreading and Repairing Hall of Fame, died Oct. 18 in Reno after a long illness. He was 78.
The industry has lost a guy whom everybody liked, said Harvey Brodsky, managing director of the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB), who called Mr. Kilcoyne a dear friend. ``He had more enthusiasm than anybody I ever met when it came to the retreading industry.''
Mr. Kilcoyne began his industry career in 1956 when he joined American Machine and Foundry Co. (AMF), holding various management positions in the general engineering division, world tobacco group and tire equipment division.
He continued with AMF after it was purchased by Goodyear, eventually retiring as general manager of Goodyear's Tire Equipment Division in 1986.
But this retirement wasn't the end of Mr. Kilcoyne's relationship with the tire industry nor of his working career.
He then joined Oliver Rubber Co. as a special advisor to the president and in 1989 was promoted to vice president of marketing. While at Oliver, he helped launch its Elite Dealer Program. Four years later in 1994, Mr. Kilcoyne joined the then-American Retreaders Association (ARA) where he spent six years as member services director, working out of his home first in California and later in Incline Village, Nev.
While with the ARA, he was a big part of the establishment of the group's successful Commercial Tire Service training program, said Marvin Bozarth, former ARA managing director and now senior technical consultant for the Tire Industry Assocation.
``He was a great guy to go out and solicit members,'' Mr. Bozarth told Tire Business, adding that Mr. Kilcoyne had a ``phenomenal memory for names.''
In 1999 Mr. Kilcoyne left the ARA-which had since changed its name to the International Tire & Rubber Association (ITRA)-and joined Bandamatic Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Hules Banda in Mexico, as vice president of sales and marketing, his most recent position.
During his long tire industry career, Mr. Kilcoyne was active in various associations, serving as a director of the former National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association and ITRA. He also served on the ITRA Advisory Council.
In addition he helped found and was one of the original directors of TRIB.
Mr. Kilcoyne was a wounded veteran of World War II in Europe, Mr. Bozarth said.
Mr. Kilcoyne is survived by his wife, Jackie; two sons, two daughters and two grandchildren.