BOWIE, Md. — One longtime industry executive has been chosen to replace another industry veteran atop the Tire Industry Association (TIA).
Dick Gust, president of national account sales and director of government affairs for Liberty Tire Recycling L.L.C. of Pittsburgh, has been named CEO of TIA, the industry organization that represents all segments of the national and international tire industry.
The appointment of the former TIA board member culminates an eight-month search to replace Roy Littlefield III, who is retiring at year-end after serving 18 years in the position.
TIA President Dan Nothdurft, who led the CEO search, said Mr. Gust "brings an extensive background to the position including more than 25 years of volunteer service with TIA and other industry organizations, in addition to a successful private sector career. We are confident he will continue the tremendous growth experienced by the organization during Roy Littlefield's tenure."
TIA will celebrate its 100th anniversary next week as a prelude to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Centennial festivities include a cocktail reception and hors d'oeuvres, a program on the association's history and a gala, set for Nov. 1 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Mr. Gust chairs TIA's Environmental Advisory Council. A longtime executive in the scrap tire industry, Mr. Gust formerly was president of Lakin Environmental Industries, overseeing operations involving tire retreading, remanufacturing, scrap tire collections and scrap tire processing.
Mr. Gust, who was inducted into TIA's Hall of Fame in 2016, said he is both humbled and excited to be chosen the next CEO.
"As we begin the association's second 100 years, we will build on TIA's solid history of industry leadership, look to develop additional innovative programs to increase tire safety, remain a strong advocate for our members at all levels of government and keep pace with innovation," he said in a statement.
"Roy Littlefield and the TIA staff have created a solid foundation on which to build, and fresh ideas from our board of directors will ensure valuable benefits for our members for years to come."
Mr. Littlefield will be inducted into the TIA Hall of Fame on Monday, along with the late Martin J. Barry, former president of the National Tire Dealers Association.
According to TIA, Mr. Gust began his industry career as a tire design engineer with Uniroyal Tire Co. (now part of Michelin Group) and later became a manager in tire production, quality control, product development and product testing.
He also worked at Sears, Roebuck & Co. as a tire engineering liaison between Sears buyers and various tire suppliers before joining Lakin Environmental.
Mr. Gust has worked with the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association, the American Retreaders Association, the Tire Association of North American (TANA) and the International Tire & Rubber Association (ITRA), TIA said, and he helped negotiate the merger between ITRA and TANA in 2002 that created TIA.
He is a frequent speaker at industry events. Earlier this year, TIA appointed him its representative to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee and of the Waste Management & Recycling segment of the U.S. environmental technology industry.
He is a past chair of TIA's government affairs committee, working extensively on public policy issues affecting the tire industry. He will work at TIA's office in Bowie.
