To say that 2008 has been eventful would be an understatement.

The U.S. economy has been teetering on recession for most of the year, and our industry has been deeply affected.

The astounding rise in oil prices has brought corresponding tire and energy price increases to the tire industry. The trucking segment has been hit with lower volumes, and the consumer tire segment has experienced a year-to-date decline in shipments.

We are all affected by these turns of events, but we will respond as we always do – we will fight our way toward 2009 and better times.

Confronting issues such as the increase in the price of oil, as well as the current and predicted future condition of the economy, are just two of the many reasons why we have a unified association representing all segments of our industry – from independent tire dealers to tiremakers to equipment suppliers.

While our businesses are diverse, TIA is the one body where we can connect and stand shoulder to shoulder, ready to confront the upcoming challenges to our industry.

The tire industry is extremely fortunate to have an extraordinarily dedicated TIA staff headed by Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield. Roy has been a vital part of our association since 1979 and leads our cooperative efforts to enhance the value and professionalism of the industry. Under his leadership, TIA has assembled a vast array of products and services that not only benefit our industry (both in the U.S. and worldwide), but the broad public, as well.

With fuel prices and the overall economy sure to play a continuing role in 2009, and with my taking the reins as president of TIA, a natural question is: How will we handle these and other challenges? In order to properly answer this, I’d like to address the different functions of TIA and the plans for the upcoming year.

The pressure for increased government regulation and taxation is never-ending, and there’s no indication that 2009 will be any different. TIA will continue its efforts in the battles over such issues as minimum wage/tax relief, small business health plans, Right to Repair, tire aging, TP-MS, the National Energy Bill, the used-oil provisions of the Superfund, the extension of the WOTC and highway funding, to name a few.

TIA’s success on the government relations front often goes unnoticed, but we nevertheless will continue our important mission of ensuring that the tire industry’s voice resonates with lawmakers and regulatory agencies in the crafting of new legislation and implementing regulations so that what’s best for the benefit of the industry is well considered. In addition, we will continue to be a valuable resource to many government regulators.

One of TIA’s greatest strengths is our comprehensive training and education programs – many of which are regarded as the best in the world. While the cost and expense for our members and others to develop in-house training programs can be prohibitive, the need for effective training for tire service technicians is without dispute.

TIA has engineered a systematic education and certification program that has trained more than 35,000 individuals through the CTS (Commercial Tire Service) and ATS (Automotive Tire Service) training programs. TIA’s goal for 2009 is to accelerate the update process with regard to our education programs and to produce an advanced TPMS training program to build upon our creation this year of a comprehensive TPMS application guide – both of which do not exist today. TIA has become the industry’s training authority at a cost affordable to all, and this will continue in 2009.

As we all know, TIA would not exist if it were not for the support of our members. In 2009, TIA’s first priority will remain our full support to ensure the ongoing success of our membership. In 2008, TIA expanded its Member Services department with additional staff, and that will only add to the strong work that has already been performed.

Additionally, 2008 saw the expansion of TIA’s member benefits lineup to include such worthwhile and successful offerings as our partnership with eBay Motors. In 2009, we would like to have more members examine these programs and take advantage of the considerable savings they can provide.

Here are just a few of the many benefits that help to save TIA’s members thousands of dollars every year:

• CarCareOne – A consumer-friendly credit card that can generate hundreds of dollars in increased sales on every service ticket.

• Meadowbrook – A workers’ compensation insurance company that has developed specialized loss control efforts that are tailored to meet members’ specific needs.

• Kiely Hines & Associates – Offer product liability insurance at competitive rates specially tailored for TIA members. There are even specific programs for retreaders, as well.

Coming Events
Important to our industry are the various events that bring together all of the partners in our business. TIA has three very valuable conferences in the tire industry.

The 2009 Commercial Tire, Retread & Recycling Conference (CTRRC) will be held Feb. 9-11 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Held in conjunction with the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting and Trade Show, the CTRRC is sure to have a strong attendance from commercial tire professionals, retreaders and recyclers from around the world. New for 2009 will be a Retread Pavilion, where retread suppliers and manufacturers will display products and services as part of the TMC Trade Show.

The 2009 OTR Conference, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas, will attract the top experts and individuals in the OTR business. This will be the 54th year of this conference, and we’re expecting a strong turnout.

And last, but certainly not least, the 2009 Tires, Wheels & Equipment section of the SEMA Show in Las Vegas will continue to be the premiere event for tire professionals from around the world. It is the event to network, learn about new technologies, visit with suppliers and much more.

The TIA Web site (www.tireindustry.org) contains a wealth of valuable information for both members and non-members. In 2007, with 1,875 pages, the TIA Web site had 478,812 unique visitors, and is ranked the No. 1 industry Web site by Google.

Looking Forward
TIA has also become a credible voice for our industry to government regulators, the worldwide press and to consumers all over the world. In 2009, we will build on our outreach to not just those within the tire industry, but to the general public, as well. TIA is determined to not only enhance its already strong image and reputation, but to expand it.

And, finally, TIA’s 36-person board of directors strives to represent all segments of the industry – including international members. It is responsible for policymaking and the ultimate direction of the management of the organization and is legally responsible for this oversight.

In 2009, I look forward to working with the TIA board and staff on planning for the future.

I am proud to follow the outstanding leadership of Peggy Fisher and I look forward to 2009 with great anticipation and enthusiasm for continuing the work of the past presidents in ensuring not only the continued health of TIA, but the tire industry as a whole.