Kevin Gillingham, 44
Outside Account ManagerAmerican Tire Distributors
Leaving a 20-year career at a law firm in Louisville, Ky., to join the tire industry was a big change for Kevin Gillingham. After receiving an offer to join American Tire Distributors in 2013, he took a chance, accepted the position and never looked back.
“It was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made,” he says. “I was in a job that I was very comfortable with, but I knew I had reached my ceiling.”
Today Gillingham says his newcomer status in the industry has helped him give a fresh perspective and unbiased point of view as he helps independent tire dealers find success based on their particular needs. In January, he was named salesperson of the year.
“I feel like success is when you achieve what you set out to do,” he says. “One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchill: ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.’”
FUN FACT: Gillingham is an avid hunter and outdoorsman, plus he loves to cook. His ideal day involves a cool October morning in a tree stand hunting deer with his 10-year-old son.
