Hankook, dealers ramp up support of veterans charity DAV

NASHVILLE — Hankook Tire America Corp. ramped up its support of the nonprofit charity Disabled American Veterans (DAV) this year by hosting a dozen DAV Mobile Service Office (MSO) stops in 11 states with the help of key dealers.

In five years of partnering with DAV, Hankook has helped more than 1,000 veterans and their families get access to the information and benefits they rightfully deserve.

"At Hankook Tire, our partnership with DAV continues to be one of our most important missions, and together we work to support our veterans through mobility and provide free assistance and services where they live," Hankook Tire America Corp. President Hosung Suh said.

"We appreciate our national network of tire dealers for hosting such positive events and making it possible for our heroes and their loved ones to get the assistance they so greatly deserve."

The Hankook-DAV MSO program stops bring DAV benefits experts directly to veterans at tire dealerships in their local communities, which, the company noted, helps reduce the distance many must travel to obtain their Veterans Affairs benefits and other services.

The dealers in Hankook's network who hosted MSO stops from August through December were:

• A&L Tire and Auto, San Antonio, Texas;
• Black's Tire & Auto Service, Fayetteville, N.C;
• Brown's Point S Tire & Auto, Portland, Ore.;
• Centerville Tire Factory, Centerville, Utah;
• CJ's Tire & Automotive, Lansdale, Pa.;
• Gateway Tire & Service Center, Clarksville, Tenn.;
• NTW, Marietta, Ga.;
• Peerless Tires 4 Less, Colorado Springs, Colo.;
• S&S Tires & Auto Service Center, Avondale, Ariz.;
• Suburban Auto, Jacksonville, Fla.;
• Tires First, Columbus, Ga.; and
• Trotta Tire, Miami, Fla.

"Hosting the Hankook-DAV MSO program stop was such a positive experience, and it really shows the care and support Hankook has for America's veterans," Peerless Tires 4 Less General Sales Manager Art Prott, the host of the MSO stop in Colorado Springs, said.

"For Peerless, it was our chance to show our respect and appreciation to our local veterans as well. Veterans approached me several times at the event to thank us for our support and for making these services accessible to them. We look forward to continuing to support Hankook and DAV."

Hankook Tire presented DAV with a $175,000 check — recognizing the company's fifth consecutive year of commitment to help veterans through mobility — during the opening session of DAV's 98th National Convention in August.

"For the past five years, Hankook Tire has provided invaluable support for DAV, and we're immensely grateful for their continued commitment to serving America's heroes and their families," DAV National Adjutant and CEO Marc Burgess said at the August event.

"The Hankook-DAV MSO program stops have helped more than a thousand veterans and their families get access to the information and benefits they rightfully deserve. We look forward to continuing to support America's heroes through the support of companies like Hankook."To further recognize U.S. military veterans, the 2019 Hankook Heroes program highlighted why veterans are heroes, the company said. Participants submitted brief testimonials about the heroes in the veteran community.

One winner received a set of Hankook tires, and a DAV chapter member near the winner's hometown, who is instrumental in helping support his or her local veteran community, also received a set of tires.

This year's winner is Glenn Engelmann from Jacksonville, Ill. In addition, DAV chapter member Mike Black, a retired Navy veteran, from Bloomington, Ill., will also receive a set of tires. MR. Black serves as DAV's Department of Illinois Chaplain and is on the board of the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy.

For more information on Hankook and DAV's continued partnership, visit dav.org/hankook.