A few college buddies led Andrew Hoit to the tire industry, but the challenging work has been what’s kept him in the business for 24 years.
That background starts at NTW, where Hoit landed a job out of college. There, he worked his way up to eventually become a regional sales manager over nine states. And there, he learned early on that perseverance and patience pay off.
“Early in my career, I wanted to grow,” he says. “I have an aggressive personality. At NTW, I would interview several times and not get a position. But for me, that was motivation and also determination. You have to push yourself outside your comfort zone to grow and take on new challenges and work harder than the next guy.”
With that attitude, Hoit landed his next job as a corporate buyer for over 900 Sears Auto Center stores. There, he was in charge of buying tires and formed a relationship with Falken Tires. Once at Falken, he worked his way up for seven years to become vice president of marketing.
During his time at Falken, Hoit gained the experience for the next step in his professional career – now working for the company he calls “the best kept secret in the industry.”
As vice president of sales and marketing for Tireco’s national brand division, Hoit oversees the direction of product development and advertising for the company’s nine brands, which include Milestar, Westlake and Nankang Tires. He’s also the head of its national sales group. A typical day, he says, involves working on various projects with his team of company leaders to improve Tireco’s services and communication.
Fun Fact: Hoit is a big reader and is currently rereading “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Huff, a book that draws a parallel between Winnie the Pooh and Taoism and taking life in stride.
“We have a bright future ahead of us, and it’s fun to put my fingerprint on the brands, on this company,” he says. “We’ve been around since 1972, but we’re working on pulling back the curtain to identify who is Tireco and what we’re about. Really, we’re in our infancy.”
He said in the last few years, he’s been given the opportunity to mold the company’s sales and marketing and has created dealer programs and customer incentives among other initiatives.
As a veteran of the industry, Hoit sees the majority of its evolution to come from distribution strategies. He believes consolidation – both from manufacturers and dealers – will continue to happen at a rapid pace, which will leave Tier 2 brands to align themselves with independent distributors. He says Tier 2 brands will have to create a compelling story, consistent service and strong distribution to make their product a compelling alternative for consumers.
For Tireco’s brands, Hoit says they’re best described as a Tier 3 brand, but with the quality of a Tier 2 product. The difference between Tireco brands and their Tier 3 competitors, Hoit says, is the suite of benefits – such as product warranties, consistent service and strong logistics to fill orders on time – that Tireco offers.
For Hoit, joining Tireco meant making a difference. Success – not just in the industry but in life – means leaving his mark.
“Success is making a positive impact,” he says, “from in my family, with my employees, in the company and with customers. I want to make a difference. That’s why I joined Tireco. I wanted to feel like I was contributing to a greater benefit.”
