By Dave Zielasko, Tire Business staff
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (April 18, 2013) — The New England Tire & Service Association (NETSA) inducted three members into its Hall of Fame and elected Steve McGrath of Tire Warehouse president during the group's annual convention April 12-13 in Uncasville.
Hall of Fame inductees were: Anne Evans, whose 30-year tire industry career includes retreading, retailing distribution and import/export; James Melvin Sr., owner of Melvin's Tire Pros, Warwick, R.I.; and posthumously, Timothy Haley of Haley's Tire & Service Center, Falmouth, Maine.
They were recognized at a reception and dinner at the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort for their outstanding leadership and contributions to the tire and service industry in New England.
Mr. McGrath, a vice president with Tire Warehouse in Keene, N.H., succeeds Steven Dupoise of County Tire Center Inc., in Middlebury, Vt., as the NETSA's president.
Ms. Evans started her tire industry career working in her family's tire business, City Tire, and later joined Import Tire Co., in Glastonbury, Conn., where she learned the fundamentals of international trade.
In 1986, she formed a company that focused on the international trade of tires and waste tire recycling. She later partnered with Oxford Energy to develop the Exeter Energy plant in Sterling, Conn., which recycles more than 10 million tires annually.
Her work in the waste tire industry led her overseas to the United Kingdom where, with the help of some of the world's major tire companies, she founded Elm Energy & Recycling (UK) Ltd., a power station in Wolverhampton, England, that was fueled by waste or renewable fuel.
She also was the chief executive of EER Ltd., an international waste tire management company, specializing in the processing of U.S, military and government waste tires, and was the president of TYRES 2000 Ltd., an international tire trader and reseller.
Ms. Evans was active in tire industry associations including the Connecticut Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association, the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association (NTDRA) and the Tire Industry Association (TIA).
Mr. Melvin began his tire industry career working for the former Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., rising to store supervisor in the Hartford, Conn., district, where he was responsible for 14 locations.
In the mid 1970s, he and a friend started their own business and eventually bought a poorly performing Firestone store in Woonsocket, R.I. In 1997, Mr. Melvin bought out his partner and today the dealership has five locations.
Mr. Melvin has been involved in tire industry associations including the NTDRA, its successor organization the Tire Association of North America (TANA), and TIA, which was formed from the merger of TANA and the International Tire & Rubber Association. He also has served on the NETSA board and was president of the association in 1997.
Mr. Haley was the third-generation owner of Haley's Tire, which operated four tire outlets in Maine before being sold last October to Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. of Norwell, Mass. He took over the business from his father in 2006.
In May 2006, Mr. Haley was diagnosed with colon cancer. The next year, he founded Team Headstrong, which supports cancer research through participation in the Pan-Mass Challenge, a 192-mile bicycle race in Massachusetts. Mr. Haley and Team Headstrong raised more than $70,000 for this cause.
He was fond of saying to his doctor: "You keep giving me birthdays, and I will keep participating in the Pan-Mass Challenge."
He died Feb. 27, 2012, at the age of 44, after battling the cancer for three years. His sister, Robin Haley, accepted the award on his behalf.
Mr. Haley was a long-time member of NETSA and served on the board of directors.
To reach this reporter: [email protected]; 330-865-6131.