Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/328077
59 www.moderntiredealer.com based in the San Francisco area. "I never thought we'd take the group back East, but we added Mike Cox and it grew." Lionel Pires, owner of Tulare Firestone Inc., said, "I was very skeptical when approached by ITDG a number of years ago, so I waited a year." Pires now says, "We are very recognized by suppliers who know we are a strong group and will buy a lot of product." "I'm looking for us to continue to grow so my son in col- lege can own the business and become a third generation tire dealer," says Robert Huebert, owner of Lee's Service Inc. " We have become the pre-eminent buying group in the country," says Chris Wyborny, chairman of ITDG and vice president of Ramona Tire, a 17-store chain based in Hemet, Calif. He believes the growth over the next few years is limit- less due to the fexibility that the group's programs provide its members. " We can ft with any manufacturer's program that is out there for tire dealers. I believe that it will be more and more necessary for something like ITDG for independent tire dealers to survive," Wyborny said. "It's exciting (to be chairman) to see how the group has matured in the quality of dealers and their commitment to the group." Wyborny is looking a h ead to c o n t i n u e d e x pan s i o n o f I T D G "because there are still states without members." Michael Cox , CEO and president of ITDG, was hired to r un the group 11 years ago, and the increases in buying programs have grown tremendously since that time. ITDG has buying arrangements with 13 tire suppliers as well as sources for wheels, lubri- cants, automotive parts and shop equipment. A major addition to the ITDG program was the 2004 launch of a captive insurance company that ofers workers' compensation coverage for members. This program was followed by the launch in 2008 of a leasing company to ofer members fexible equipment fnancing. In 2011, ITDG signed a partnership with point S Devel- opment, a leading European group of independent tire and auto service dealers with 3,000 points of sale. Te two groups continue to explore areas of mutual beneft. ITDG does not have warehousing and distribution, but rather works with suppliers to ship smaller quantity orders to their dealer members, particularly those who do not buy container load quantities. During the last eight years, the group has had an average shareholder return of 4.31%. ITDG set records for new members, shareholders, member purchases and volume bonus and dividend payments in 2013. In March, ITDG extended Cox's contract through Dec. 31, 2018. ■ Chris Wyborny, ITDG chairman, is looking for continued expansion into unrepresented states. Quik-Link: 800-687-1557 ext. 17132