LOS ANGELES — Tire industry veteran Dave Crawford has rejoined The Hybrid Shop L.L.C., (THS), which specializes in hybrid and electric vehicle training and development, as its president and chief operating officer.
Mr. Crawford, CEO of THS from 2014-16, will focus on expanding the THS network of franchise locations servicing hybrid and electric vehicles (HEV/EV), in addition to overseeing day-to-day operations and management.
Mr. Crawford has been working for the past couple of years as an independent business consultant and trainer specializing in evaluating retail tire businesses. He was vice president of Tire Pros Operations at American Tire Distributors Inc., as well as national marketing director with American Car Care Centers Inc., which ceased operations in 2014.
THS said it recently restructured its Hybrid Shop program to make it more affordable for dealers.
"Dave Crawford was an integral part of the original franchise program and built strong relationships with the original dealers," CEO Martin Kruszelnicki said.
"As the new program started coming together, we knew that we needed someone with Dave's experience to manage the business and franchise efforts. We had formed a solid relationship when I owned my hybrid dealership in Santa Monica, so I reached out to see if there was still interest. I was thrilled when he agreed to rejoin the company."
Mr. Crawford said the automotive industry is moving toward fuel economy.
"Dealers need to embrace the future and new technology. THS has the tools and support, and I was excited when Martin approached me about rejoining the team. This was an opportunity I had to embrace," he said.
THS said it has developed a new process, in collaboration with GTK Instruments of Poland, for remanufacturing high-voltage hybrid batteries that is more advanced than before.
"Servicing hybrids is a great opportunity for dealers to add on to their existing business," Mr. Crawford said.
"To me, this new role is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help lead the larger industry in the cutting-edge technology in the burgeoning hybrid market. It's exciting to be back."
Mr. Crawford can be reached at [email protected].