Pam Gatto, president of Gatto’s Tires & Auto Service, will be honored on Sept. 28 when the Founders Forum of central Florida names her the recipient of the group’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
The award recognizes “business excellence within our community,” according to the Founders Forum.
Gatto will also be featured with the cover story in the September issue of Spacecoast Business magazine. The article discusses how Gatto has prospered in a traditionally male-dominated business, including being the first woman to hold the title of president of the Tire Association of North America, and is one of three women inducted into the Tire Industry Hall of Fame.
In 2007, Gatto’s Tires & Auto Service, with seven locations in Brevard County and headquartered in Melbourne, Fla., gained national attention when Tire Review magazine honored the business with the highly competitive Top Shop Award. Besting more than 100 other independent shops, Gatto’s was judged as the best overall tire dealership in North America.
The Founders Forum was established in 1985 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the needs of entrepreneurs in East Central Florida. Its primary focus is to provide a forum where new businesses can network with funding sources and potential investors can learn of new businesses.
Gatto’s was recognized for making their commitment to the community a top customer service priority. “We live and work in the communities we serve and our customers see familiar faces when they come into our stores,” said Gatto. “We have an experienced service team and we believe in educating our customers so they can make informed decisions about their vehicles.”
