January 18, 2017
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – McCarthy Tire Service recently opened its newest Bandag retread plant amidst a celebration of its 90th year in business. The McCarthy family hosted a lunch-time event for its local associates, complete with food trucks, raffles, a timeline of the company’s history, and service awards.
“This new retread plant is our largest project to date,” said John D. McCarthy Jr., president. “Rather than holding a public ribbon-cutting event, we thought it was more important to celebrate this accomplishment with our employees, who are like family to us. Without them, and their hard work and dedication, McCarthy Tire wouldn’t be here today.”
More than 250 employees from the Wilkes-Barre location, retirees, and McCarthy family members attended the event, which was held inside the retread plant. Four local food trucks offered a variety of menu options for the crowd. A thirteen-foot long timeline with pictures and historic documents showcased the history of McCarthy Tire Service since its founding in 1926 by Joseph J. McCarthy.
John McCarthy opened the formal portion of the event with heartfelt remarks to the associates about the important role they have in the company’s continued success. The entire McCarthy family stood and gave the associates a round of applause to express their appreciation.
“What you guys do on a day-in and day-out basis is just amazing,” McCarthy noted. “You are what make us different from the competition.”
Katie McCarthy Lambert lightened the mood with a fast-moving “Times Are a Changing” slideshow featuring candid shots of associates over the last 40 years. Hairstyles from the 1970s and 1980s and the abundance of wood paneling in company showrooms and offices drew many chuckles from the audience.
Officials from Bridgestone Corporation and Bandag, a global leader in retread manufacturing, were on hand to recognize McCarthy Tire Service for 25 years in association with Bandag, Incorporated, and to personally thank the McCarthy Tire associates for their work. They also noted that the Wilkes-Barre plant is the largest Bandag retread facility in the universe.
John McCarthy recognized each of the 49 employees who had worked at McCarthy Tire’s Wilkes-Barre location for 10 years or longer with an award for their years of service. An additional 97 certificates were distributed after the event by department heads to recognize employees with one to nine years of service with the company. The event quickly took on a lighter tone as 50 Visa debit cards were randomly raffled off to associates with much cheering and laughter.
The McCarthy family then invited the four longest-term employees to cut the red ribbon and officially open the new plant. They included:
- Edmund Vida, 52 years of service
- Charles Goff, 43 years of service
- Edward Salsavage, 36 years of service
- Ralph Swire, 35 years of service
- Joseph Slusser, 36 years of service
The event concluded with a small surprise for John McCarthy – a birthday cake and rousing song from everyone in attendance.
The new retread plant is housed in a 75,000-square-foot warehouse less than one-half mile from the company’s flagship location on Kidder Street in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. It replaces McCarthy Tire’s existing retread plant.
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