Tire Pros honors dealers with awards at annual conference

SAN DIEGO (March 10, 2016) — American Tire Distributors Inc.'s (ATD) Tire Pros franchise program honored several of its members with performance awards during the farewell banquet at its sixth annual National Dealer Business Conference, which took place Feb. 23 at Miramar Air Station in San Diego.

“Overall, Tire Pros dealers performed very well in 2015,” said Dan Brown, Tire Pros President.  “It is important that we take time during our annual business conference to celebrate the successes by our dealers and shine the spotlight on individual dealers that delivered leading performances.”

The company focused on top performing dealers in the areas of retail sales, store profitability, community involvement and use of its credit card program.

Tire Pros Dealers who received awards included:  

• Tom Eberle, owner of Quality Tire Pros in Chattanooga, Tenn., was recognized for the highest increase in  passenger and light truck tire units sold. A Tire Pros franchisee since 2010, Quality Tire Pros had a substantial year-over-year tire unit increase at the same time a competitor added two stores in a market with already abundant competition.

• Phil LePage, owner of Jim Lewis Tire Pros in Jefferson City, Mo., a Tire Pros dealers since 1995, was honored for the highest percentage increase in passenger and light truck tires sold.

• Dan and Lynda Kester, owners of Big Red Tire Pros in Lincoln, Neb., who have been Tire Pros dealers since 2012, were recognized for the highest net profit improvement.

• Tom Davis, owner of Discount Tire Outlet Tire Pros in Massillon, Ohio, was recognized as the Tire Pros Young Dealer of the Year. Mr. Davis became a Tire Pros Dealer in 2012. His brother, General Manager Robert Davis, accepted the award on his behalf.

• Bud Luppino, a franchisee since 1995 and owner of three Bud's Tire Pros stores in Riverside and Moreno Valley, Calif., was named the Tire Pros Community Partner of the Year for his “commitment to be locally invested and impactful in enriching his store's communities,” ATD said. Mr. Luppino was the 2014 recipient of Tire Business' Humanitarian Dealer of the Year Award.

•  Rocky Giles, owner of Rocky's Tire Pros in Spanish Fork, Utah, received the Tire Pros Credit Card Program Rookie of the Year Award.

• Bryon Shull, owner of Yorktown Service Plaza Tire Pros in Parma Heights, Ohio, earned the Most Improved Tire Pros Credit Card Program Award.

• Genaro Gonzales, owner of Oasis Tire Pros, a five-location dealership in El Paso, Texas, was named the Financial Dealership of the Year in recognition for having the largest sales volume processed through the Tire Pros credit card program.