SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Dan Nothdurft would never make it through an Oscars speech. He thanks too many people.
Between the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry's supply chain issues and employment shortages, the outgoing Tire Industry Association (TIA) president had a busy year.
He also feels the organization had a successful one — and he made sure everyone else got the credit.
"It was a challenging year as far as making everything work through the COVID environment, but I think we accomplished a lot of great things," Mr. Nothdurft, the president of Tires, Tires, Tires in South Dakota and Iowa, said.
- This article appears in the Oct. 25 print edition of Tire Business.
"But it's not about me; it's absolutely about all the people I work with. TIA has a great staff and kudos to the staff for holding everything together during the pandemic.
"Every cog in the wheel has a job to do. If it wasn't for the people at TIA, I wouldn't be successful. TIA wouldn't be successful."
Mr. Nothdurft, who will be succeeded in November by Mason Hess, area manager for Purcell Tire & Service Center in Phoenix, spoke by phone with Tire Business in mid-October, addressing a number of initiatives and issues facing the organization over the past year and into the future.
Digital training
The pandemic prompted TIA to focus more on digital training, with Mr. Nothdurft praising Kevin Rohlwing and his staff for the organization's growth in that area.
"That really helped us through the COVID environment," he said. "That was an amazing project and Kevin did a great job with it. We're very fortunate to have someone like Kevin Rohlwing at the helm of the training division."
California regulations
California has taken steps toward a replacement tire-efficiency program that would ensure replacement passenger and light-duty truck tires sold in California are at least as energy efficient as OE tires on vehicles sold in the state.
TIA has worked with the state's Energy Commission on the issue.