Being 'One with the Tire Pros' in Big Easy

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 27, 2017) — Tire Pros dealers from across the U.S. descended on the Big Easy Sunday evening for the 2017 Tire Pros National Business Conference, which runs through Tuesday evening under the theme "One with the Tire Pros."

The event is being held at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, in the middle of the ongoing Mardi Gras festivities that culminate with more parades and revelry on Mardi Gras Day, or Fat Tuesday.

While an informal dinner was held Sunday evening — where some dealers donned party hats and beads, a Mardi Gras tradition —the seventh annual American Tire Distributors Inc.'s (ATD) Tire Pros dealer event begins in earnest today with a general session, where dealers will hear from Tire Pros' executives.

Among those scheduled to speak today is Ron Sinclair, ATD's chief marketing officer whose recently expanded role includes full operational and financial responsibility for the Tire Pros organization, which boasts more than 700 stores across the nation. Mr. Sinclair, who has been with ATD for nearly 14 years, assumed his additional responsibilities late last June, when Dan Brown, the organization's president, retired.

Later on Monday, educational breakout sessions will be held. The topics include:

• Building a Culture of Profitability;

• The New Age of Digital Marketing;

• Pricing Tools for Your Market; and

• The Influence and Advantages of a Cause Marketing Campaign.

The hosts for the latter two sessions will be Wes Stephenson, Tire Pros director of operations, and Quick Chadwick, director of marketing.

Tuesday's events include a vendor fair as well as vendor breakouts. Topics for the breakout sessions are:

• The Art of Google;

• What's Trending on Social Media Now;

• Increase Your Car Count Tomorrow;

• Maximizing Continental Gold Profitability;

• The Ease of Paperless Warranty Claims; and

• Me, My Shop, My App.

The conference concludes Tuesday evening with a farewell event, where dealers are recognized for outstanding performance.