- Tire Review Magazine

Big O Tires is celebrating 25 years in Lake Havasu, Arizona along with owner Rick Zirges.

Zirges started with the Havasu location as a tire technician under the previous owner, Ken Little, in 1993 when the location first opened. After working at the location for several years, Zirges became a partner in 1999 and along with Todd Belote, purchased the location in 2008.

“The last 25 years in Havasu representing the Big O Tires brand have been amazing,” said Zirges. “We would not be where we are today without the support from our community and the support from the Big O Tire organization. The commitment and dedication of our team members have enabled us to be a team customers trust in the Havasu community and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone.”

Zirges and Belote are both dedicated to the continued growth and success of their location. With the 2014 expansion of their location, the Havasu location has the largest physical footprint of any Big O Tires in the Southwestern U.S.

“Todd and Rick are exemplary franchisees and have grown substantially in their time with the Big O organization. They started with eight associates in 1993, including Rick, and now employ 34. Their expansion in 2014 and record-setting sales is a testament to their dedication,” said John Kairys, vice president and general manager for Big O Tires. “The team’s commitment to exceeding customer expectations is represented in everything that they do. We are both very fortunate and very proud to have them as members of the Big O Tires organization.”

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."