Explosion Leads to New Beginnings For Les Schwab Tire Store

Published: October 20, 2014

Six months after an explosion destroyed a Les Schwab Tires store in North Bend, Wash., the tire business is celebrating a new beginning.

In April, a natural gas leak at a pizza parlor that was under renovation caused an explosion that damaged nearby businesses and dozens of homes. According to investigators, the blast was accidental. It, however, all but leveled Les Schwab’s building.

Despite the disaster, employees went immediately to work in the back parking lot, using a 5,000-square-foot tent and a double-wide trailer for offices.

This weekend, Les Schwab will celebrate its grand reopening with food, cake and door prizes. The reopening is a chance to thank customers and the community for its help, said Kevin Scallhorn, store manager.

Goodyear names new Americas unit president

Ryan Waldron joined Goodyear in 2003, serving in leadership roles in finance and supply chain for multiple North America business areas.

By Christian Hinton

Published: April 23, 2024

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."