LAS VEGAS — Several members of the Evankovich family were on hand on Oct. 29 as tire industry veteran John Evankovich officially began his term as president of the Tire Industry Association (TIA).
The gavel was passed during TIA's annual membership meeting, held a day before the start of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, which runs Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Mr. Evankovich, director of Walmart Inc.'s Sam's Club's Tire & Battery Centers, succeeds David Martin, category director, tools and supply at Huntersville, N.C.-based American Tire Distributors Holdings Inc.
"Your leadership has been outstanding," Mr. Evankovich said of Mr. Martin. "It's been a pleasure serving you. I look forward to leading the association for the next 12 months."
In addition, members of the association passed a resolution, by a voice vote, urging all sectors of the tire industry, particularly the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), to work together as one industry voice "to provide real world solutions to serious safety issues to improve mobility safety on all the nation's roads."
The resolution urges the organizations to use technology to develop and implement:
- An improved tire registration program;
- A tire recall strategy to improve the percentage of tires successfully recalled; and
- A motorist education program to educate drivers on the new registration and recall procedures.
TIA also welcomed five new board members. They are:
- John Baldwin, chief product & technical strategist for Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Discount Tire Co.
- James Flynn, president of Hermitage, Pa.-based Flynn's Tire Group;
- Debra Hamlin, director of commercial business, environment, health, safety and sustainability for Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO);
- Keith Jarman, president of Brooksville, Fla.-based AME International; and
- Don Vanderheyen, vice president of marketing for LaVergne, Tenn.-based Hennessey Industries.
Outgoing board members, Tom Formanek, Mike Baggett, Russell Devens and Jon Schadl, also were recognized for their service.
The TIA board represented include Roy Littlefield, TIA chief executive officer; Brian Rigby, vice president; Dan Nothdurft, incoming secretary; and Mike Wolfe, treasurer.
