Leaders from 14 tire dealers gather for the inaugural Tire Industry Safety Leadership Summit held in North Carolina in early June.
GREENSBORO, NC, and WILKES-BARRE, PA, July 10, 2019 – For two days in June, commercial tire industry competitors became one team, focused on the goal of spreading the latest innovations in safety. They met at the Safety Leadership Summit, co-presented by McCarthy Tire Service and Snider Fleet Solutions. Service providers and vendors shared their knowledge in a concentrated effort to ensure the best new methods are available to the tire industry.
The idea for the summit was born when Tony Mullen, director of risk management for Snider Fleet Solutions and Russell Devens, director of safety and risk management for McCarthy Tire Service, were introduced by their mutual risk consultant. Mullen and Devens subsequently met to discuss mutual safety issues. At the end of that very successful first meeting, the two agreed that there was a need to expand the conversation with leaders across the tire industry. They also agreed that when it comes to safety, “There is no competition.”
Devens and Mullen organized a two-day seminar. Snider Fleet Solutions hosted the event at its training facility in Newton, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte, in order to provide easy access to participants traveling in from around the country. They extended invitations to safety and risk managers in the country’s top commercial tire businesses.
“We expected a few people to accept invitations, but we were overwhelmed by the response. We had 21 attendees. They represented 14 of the top 25 independent commercial tire dealers in the United States,” noted Mullen and Devens in a joint statement.
Several roundtable discussions on tire safety, workplace injuries, and fleet safety were supplemented by presentations from industry vendors. Federated Mutual Insurance presented on insurance claims trends within the tire industry and on risk control techniques. Lytx presented on dash cameras for fleet safety and compliance; TRUCE gave a session on software control of mobile device distractions; and MVR Management discussed the Insurance Information Exchange (iiX). Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association (TIA), provided updates on safety training opportunities.
“The whole industry – and most importantly, everyone involved – benefits when we share the best ideas in safety,” said Marty Herndon, president/COO of Snider Fleet Solutions. “We’re always looking for ways to improve, and this conference was a great step forward.”
“In the tire industry, safety needs to be everyone’s number one goal,” noted John D. McCarthy Jr., president McCarthy Tire Service, about the Summit. “Our employees and customers work in challenging, and sometimes dangerous, environments. Everyone deserves to go home safe and sound. We are very pleased that Russ and Tony gathered together our industry’s safety leaders to share best practices and address areas of mutual concern.”
The Leadership Safety Summit attendees included (in alphabetical order):
- Dave Bungum, Tredroc Tire Services
- Chad Cochrane, Tredroc Tire Services
- Matt Cresswell, Snider Fleet Solutions
- Russell Devens, McCarthy Tire Service
- J.J. Donovan, Valley Tire Co.
- Josephine Foley, Sullivan Tire Co.
- Bob Hickey, Bob Sumerel Tire Co.
- Brian Klaner, Raben Tire
- Geoff McGukin, McGriff Tire
- Tony Mullen, Snider Fleet Solutions
- Robbie Mullins, Purcell Tire
- Matt Partain, McGriff Tire
- Frank Payne, Commercial Tire Inc.
- Mark Pennington, Redburn Tire Co.
- Norm Peterson, Best One Tire Group
- David Petty, Snider Fleet Solutions
- Rich Philippon, Sullivan Tire Co.
- Mark Revell, Pomp’s Tire Service
- Brandy Sielaff, Commercial Tire Inc.
- Bob Theim, Pete’s Tire Barns
- T.J. Trum, Pomp’s Tire Service
Safety being the industry’s highest priority, the success of the Summit inspired the organizers to think of it as the first in what they hope will become an ongoing series.
About Snider Fleet Solutions
Snider Fleet Solutions is one of the largest commercial tire dealers and retreaders in the nation, recognized as an industry leader in providing innovative outsourcing alternatives for one-truck fleets to large, multi-location trucking fleets. It serves fleets with best-in-class maintenance, mechanical service, 24/7 emergency roadside assistance and nationwide onsite industrial tire and OTR service. Snider has been independently owned and operated since 1976. Today, it employs more than 1500 service professionals at over 80 locations throughout the South and Midwest. Additionally, it operates 9 strategically located retread facilities and 11 distribution centers that provide delivery capability to over 75% of the continental United States. To learn more, visit www.sniderfleet.com.
ABOUT MCCARTHY TIRE SERVICE
Founded in 1926, McCarthy Tire Service is a family-owned and operated tire dealer headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The company has more than 60 service locations and 10 Bandag retread tire manufacturing plants along the east coast of the United States. McCarthy Tire is the sixth largest independent commercial tire dealer and one of the top 50 retail tire dealers in the country. The company offers tire sales and service; automotive mechanical services and repairs; fleet services; truck mechanical services; 24-hour commercial roadside assistance; and retread tire manufacturing. For more information, visit www.McCarthyTire.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Amy Cameron, 800-724-3506, acameron@mccarthytire.com