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TIRE DEVELOPMENT: Looking forward, looking back SOCIAL MEDIA: Claiming the top spot in customer awareness THE INDUSTRY’S LEADING PUBLICATION
Leading by Example
Bob Sullivan Our 20th Annual Tire Dealer of the Year
NEW DEPARTMENT!
September 2012 | Vol. 93, No. 9 | $10 | A Bobit Publication | www.moderntiredealer.com
TIRE LABELING IN EUROPE: Success or disaster?
“I try to confront the problems we have, use the right people to help solve the problems, and then I shoot for peace at all costs.”
feature
Follow the leader(s)
Sullivan Tire is the sum of its people. Bob Sullivan is one of them, but he also sets the tone for the way the company does business. For that, he is our 2012 Tire Dealer of the Year By Bob Ulrich
E
ight years ago, the board of directors of Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. challenged President Bob Sullivan to hire his successor by the end of the year. When he failed to do so, the directors withheld his performance bonus. “They asked me, ‘Where’s the succession plan?’” says Sullivan. “And I said, ‘We have the people in-house.’ So I invited them to our first LDP (Leadership Development Program) graduation.” According to Sullivan, the graduation speaker, former Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Chairman and CEO Bob Keegan, told everyone in attendance that Sullivan Tire’s leadership program was unique. “He said, ‘Sullivan Tire is doing the right thing for the future. This is a commitment to develop leaders, and that’s what you need.’ “The board was thrilled after that,” smiled Sullivan, “and they made up for how much they shorted me!” To date, more than 100 of his employees have successfully completed the program, which Sullivan says will ensure the continued success of the company, and maintain a chain of command that started with Sullivan’s late father, Robert. “Clearly, we understand if people are not getting ahead,” he says. “If our associates are unhappy, that does not transcend into a good experience for our customers. Keeping our associates happy is a hallmark creed of Sullivan Tire. “We’re doing things for the next generation. We’re not a one- or two-man band. The company looks bright.” Sullivan, at 70 years of age, leads by example. He works hard, cares deeply for his employees, and gives back to the more than 70 New England communities in which he does business. As one of his managers says, “You would ‘take the hill’ for the guy.” Sentiments like that show why Bob Sullivan, despite his modesty, is the de facto leader of one of the most successful independent tire dealerships in the country, and Modern Tire Dealer’s 2012 Tire Dealer of the Year.
Adding real estate
Bob Sullivan spends a lot of time behind the scenes growing the company. In the last 10 years, Sullivan Tire’s store count has
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increased 50%, from 50 to 75 outlets. There are seven more on the drawing board. Most of the stores are Sullivan Tire & Auto Service centers. Fifteen are predominantly commercial outlets. The company also runs three Bandag retreading plants. “I like real estate,” he says. “I love sports — I played a lot of baseball growing up — and I also like the competitiveness of real estate.” His philosophy takes into account both the draw of the location and the state of the economy. He readily admits that deals can be made when times are tough. “The real estate market goes up and down, and if you’re patient, you can get a great location. We’ve grown a lot in the last few years when the economy was bad. We purchased stores that we normally wouldn’t have been able to afford in a good economy. There is a lot of competition for locations.” Sullivan’s secret to expanding is threefold: 1. Financial stability. “You have to have excellent credit.” 2. Real estate expertise. “You have to have a good rapport with a top real estate agent. Ours is Mark Donahue.” 3. Own vs. lease. “I want to own the land if possible. We own the land on 35 of our properties. It is to protect the future.” Taking over other dealerships starts with a realistic return on investment, according to Sullivan. A soft touch with the owners doesn’t hurt. “We’re up front with them when we go in, and what we usually say to them is, ‘If you can take the numbers you’re going to give us and show a profit while treating your people great, then we can negotiate.’ But if the owner’s trying to make a killing, and disregarding the customer and his employees, and it will change how the operation is run, we just walk away. “I look at the 1,000-plus employees who work for Sullivan Tire as the stockholders of the company, and we have an obligation to them to make sure things are done right. If we try to do something that isn’t right — for example, if we try to value our relationship more than it’s worth with the supplier — nobody gets a return. You can negotiate with the supplier to give them market share, but it’s very complex. You have to have a competitive price.
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Tire Dealer of the Year
The Employee Engagement Task Force is dedicated to improving employee satisfaction. It rotates its members every year.
“We try to treat our customers at a high level and the people who work for Sullivan Tire at a high level, so we need to make a little more profit than somebody who doesn’t care about those things.” Sullivan recently was having a tough time finalizing the buyout of a local tire dealership. The owner said he offered the same benefits to his people that Sullivan Tire did. After he looked at the numbers, Sullivan discovered there was a $4,000 difference in benefits — in favor of Sullivan Tire’s employees. “So basically, the day his people come to work for us, they get a $4,000 raise,” says Sullivan. “Those are the things that make you feel good when you do take over a competitor. “Everybody’s going to benefit. We’re going to get more market share, and the people who are coming to work for us are going to say we are treating them well. A lot of times, the employees are the ones who suffer in a buyout.” Not everything works out. “We’ve had to close some
Santo Hernandez, retread plant manager in Ellington, Conn., sits down with Sullivan as part of the Leadership Development Program. He was mentored by Brian Gollub.
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stores,” says Sullivan. “If at the quarterly meeting I look at the chalkboard and see red in an area, maybe it’s not working there. Sometimes X equals X.”
Mentoring from within
The Leadership Development Program was the brainchild of Sullivan’s second wife, Susan. (The company’s Chrystine M. Sullivan Memorial Foundation was named after his first wife, who died of breast cancer at age 49.) “Susan was in charge of human resources with Delta Airlines,” says Sullivan. “She knew the board was worried about succession, so she designed the course.” Fifteen to 17 employees enter the program every year. First, they are nominated by program graduates. Then the list of nominees is sent to the different departments in the company for “their stamp of approval” and whittled down. “We give them each a mentor,” says Sullivan. “The mentors now are someone in the company, but when we first started this program, I went out and got mentors from the outside. “I picked out two bank presidents; a lot of entrepreneurs like Pat McGeoghegan from Mohawk (Rubber Sales Inc.); the CFO of a hospital; a fellow who owns a petroleum distribution business — people I had recognized as having good skills. And I asked if they would meet four to six times a year with a key person at Sullivan Tire to help them develop their leadership skills.” After they complete the program, the students meet with Sullivan for two hours one-on-one. Some of them say it can be very intimidating, although that is not Sullivan’s goal. “I ask them some questions. This is the first: ‘What are the top three things you learned from the class, about leadership, about yourself and about how you do your job?’ Then I ask them ‘How are you going about transferring these learning center actions to your job? What actions are you doing differently from before? What difference in results have you seen?’ That will be a big topic.
MTD September 2012
Tire Dealer of the Year How to remain calm when stress in unavoidable
Patience is a virtue that can be learned — and passed on to the next generation When Bobby Sullivan was a teenirritable, more critical. Fear — of ager working in his father’s fledgnot succeeding, of not making a ing tire shop, he might forget to do good living for his family after something and ruin a retread. “He taking the risk — also makes a would get mad and frustrated,” person notice all the things that says the younger Sullivan. “He are wrong and/or threatening to was struggling and had a big famsuccess. ily to take care of. He’d just yell “Also, it seems that some peoat me and say, ‘Get out of here!’ ple do become more patient as So I’d walk home.” they live longer and gain the reBy the time he finished the alistic view that people will make seven-mile walk home, his dad, mistakes, that you can learn from who had calmed down, would those mistakes, and the world pick him up and drive him back does not stop turning because to the shop. things didn’t go just right.” “As the business matured, he In her Web article “How to developed great patience. So I become more patient,” she lists learned what to do and what not five strategies for developing to do from him.” patience. According to Dr. Beverly Smallwood, a licensed psychologist 1. Become more realistic in and author, even inpatient people The late Robert J. Sullivan (left), founder of Sullivan your expectations.”Optimism is Tire Co., had “tremendous coaching skills,” says his have the capacity to be patient. eldest son, Robert D. Sullivan. good, but unrealistic optimism “When a person is stressed out, about uninterrupted smooth sailpatience wears thin,” she says. “He or she can become more ing can sabotage the completion of important tasks,” she writes. “Expect and plan for delays, complications, and setbacks.” 2. View setbacks as temporary. “Research shows that the most resilient people are able to view problems as temporary.” 3. Keep the mentality of the problem solver, not the victim. People with a victim mentality “see themselves as unfortunate pawns of negative forces and other people who control their destinies. Problem-solvers, on the other hand, look at negative situations to discover what they can do. They are able to distinguish the things over which they have control versus the things that they can’t change.” 4. Reject bitterness. “Bitterness is the result of anger that is not resolved. It’s a killer — psychologically, relationally, and physically! Bitter people are anything but patient. They have short fuses, overreacting when even unrelated situations remind them of the person or event they resent. Resolve conflicts promptly, and/or choose to forgive and move on!” 5. Remember your successes in other difficult situations. “When you find yourself in a mess that seems unending... remember that you’ve been in tough situations before, and you’re still here.” Although patience can be learned, some people are naturally more easy-going and peace-loving, says Smallwood. “Our best research now informs us that over 50% of personality is genetic — the rest shaped by environment and by intentional work.” Dr. Smallwood (www.DrBevSmallwood.com) is the author of “This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen to Me: 10 Make-or-Break Choices When Life Steals Your Dreams and Rocks Your World.”
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MTD September 2012
Tire Dealer of the Year
Brian Gollub (left) and Mark Gillard have been with Sullivan Tire a combined 50 years. “I see what (Bob) does for the employees and the community,” says Gillard. “You really get a sense that he cares deeply about both.”
“Then we’ll discuss the answers. I also respond to their questions.” Marketing Manager Mark Gillard says Sullivan may be the biggest mentor of them all. “I just think for a president of a company this size to have those one-on-one meetings really just shows he cares.” “He leads by example,” says younger brother Billy Sullivan, 59, retail supervisor for New Hampshire and Maine. “He’s very motivating. You could be down in the dumps but he always finds a way to bring the positive out of a negative situation. “He has a lot of compassion for the business, like all of us. He’s fun to be around.”
Negotiating price
Sullivan Tire recently celebrated its 40th anniversary buying direct from Goodyear. Ironically, Goodyear turned the company down when it was a one-store operation in Rockland, Mass. “We bought a building in Norwell, our second location, and it had gas pumps,” says Sullivan. “A guy from Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO) asked if we would like
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to buy Goodyear’s from them, and we became their biggest customer of tire and battery products. “When Goodyear and ARCO had a falling out, Goodyear came back and signed us direct, so we came in the back door!” In addition to Goodyear, Sullivan Tire stocks, in alphabetical order, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone (also the company’s bestselling truck tire brand), Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Pirelli, Sailun, Sumitomo, Uniroyal and Yokohama. “We’ve added some brands over the years, but we very rarely change brands,” says Brian Gollub, manager of purchasing and distribution. “We like to think we’re loyal, and we like to stick with things that work for us. We like to develop a brand essence. “We don’t go shopping around looking for the cheapest price at any point in time. We generally stick with what we have and try to negotiate our best price point within our relationships. We’re good negotiators. I think we drive a good bargain for our company to the extent we
Get-together at Panera
It’s more than just about the ‘bread’ The employees at the Panera Bread location in Hanover, Mass., see a lot of brothers Bob and Paul Sullivan. They meet there at least once a week for breakfast to exchange notes and talk business. “Sometimes twice when things are hot, when we’ve got a lot going on,” says Bob. “Maybe three times!” On this day, they are talking about the company’s Leadership Development Program. Bob, the president of Sullivan Tire Co. Inc., says seeing an entry-level employee work his or her way up to a leadership role is more than satisfying. “That is one of the reasons I think Sullivan Tire’s going to be unbelievable down the road, because we’re developing this leadership. “In some years, our best performers weren’t nominated (for the program) because they had introverted-type personalities. They didn’t want to be leaders. Then they were nominated, and they turned out to be some of the best people we’ve developed.” Paul, vice president of marketing, agrees with his older brother. “One of the things that the program does is give recognition, probably the most important attribute you can give a person as an employer,” he says. “Our leadership program recognizes the people. Just as Bobby said, sometimes they are introverted, and all of a sudden they step out, take a little bit of a risk themselves, take a challenge. They meet it head on, and go on to lead other people. “So I think that’s another way of recognizing people. It’s a benefit.”
MTD September 2012
Tire Dealer of the Year
Pictured at the Norwell store with one of the company’s many shuttle vans are, from left to right, Jim Resendes, assistant manager; Sean Galiano, manager, ASE Master Technician and LDP graduate; and Allen Daluz, Jason Carmen and Jonathan Joly, general service techs. Sullivan Tire’s retail locations offer complete auto service.
can within the confines of the industry.” Price escalation and rising raw material costs over the last couple of years didn’t leave dealers with much negotiating room, according to Gollub. Neither did 2009’s “Cash for Clunkers” program, which created replacement shortages by increasing the demand for tires at the original equipment level. Now the pendulum has swung back in favor of the dealers, especially with the 25% tariff on consumer tire imports from China set to come off on Sept. 26, 2012. Gollub says he’s already seen some “forward impact” in anticipation of the tariff being removed. “On top of that, we’ve gone from having high backorder rates to plenty of product. And rubber prices have been down, so there’s deflation. So for the first time in several years, we have a little bit more leverage in the negotiations. It feels good for a change to be a little bit more in the driver’s seat.” Gollub says purchasing is a difficult process to manage. “Stability is the best thing for us in the purchasing world. Deflation and inflation are both much harder to manage because you can get caught on either side and end
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up with product at the wrong price. We do our best to try to be smart in how we manage that.” Sullivan Tire has retail outlets in four states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine. Four of its 15 commercial outlets are located in Connecticut. Gollub says Sullivan Tire prices its tires consistently store to store and state to state. “We stick with our pricing philosophy, one price that we put out there, whether it’s in Maine or Connecticut, Rhode Island — wherever that part of the company is. But we also allow the stores to have some flexibility in their discussions with the customer. “We have an aggressive price point out there right now, but if we have to match somebody we will, and if we have to strike a deal because somebody has economic challenges and we’re trying to help the customer out, we will. The stores are allowed to make a deal that makes sense.” Gollub says within Massachusetts, there are “pockets of relatively successful economies and some cities that are really struggling, some of the old-line mill cities. That’s why we have so many brands and
MTD September 2012
Tire Dealer of the Year so many price points. We have something that will fit everyone’s needs because we have such a vast inventory of products. “We don’t usually have any problem fitting the need, and we have a good distribution system. So if a tire happens to be in Rhode Island today it can be in Maine within 24 hours, generally, through our system.”
Giving back
Bob Sullivan and younger brother Paul Sullivan, the vice president of marketing, credit their father for creating team spirit at Sullivan Tire. “People don’t want to disappoint the culture,” says Bob. An atmosphere of philanthropy goes along with that. “I think as a company, we try Sullivan Tire and Auto Service has sponsored the Pawtucket (Rhode Island) Red Sox to give back more than our share for close to 20 years. As part of the partnership, the company produces and distributes if we can. Our mission is not to 25,000 schedule magnets featuring its logo. Bill Wanless, Pawtucket’s vice president of public relations, calls Sullivan Tire “a gracious sponsor.” turn anyone away.” The Chrystine M. Sullivan breast cancer and cares for women and their families across Memorial Foundation has raised more than $2 million, most Massachusetts. of it funding cancer support. With the help of the foundation’s The Sullivan family also started and manages the Bob Sullivan annual Champions Fighting Cancer Walk, $50,000 a year is Memorial Foundation, which awards academic scholarships; earmarked for The Ellie Fund, an organization that fights and the David M. Sullivan Foundation, named after Bob’s late brother. David, formerly head of purchasing and treasurer of the company, died of a heart attack in 2006 at age 60. He was known for his good deeds and compassion for the underdog, according to Paul, 61. His foundation provides help for the less fortunate, such as Christmas presents for needy children. Sullivan Tire recently presented a $20,000 check to the 11th annual WEEI (radio)/NESN (cable television) Jimmy Fund RadioTelethon. The donation was part of the company’s “Every Hit Helps” summer promotion. The Jimmy Fund supports the fight against cancer in children and adults at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Sullivan Tire agreed to donate $500 to the telethon for every hit by Dustin Pedroia, the second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, over a 26-day period. For Sullivan Tire’s Abington, Mass., retail location is open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday every home run he hit, the company through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. It features banners from the Boston Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics. Bob Demarco is the store manager. increased that amount to $1,000.
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MTD September 2012
Tire Dealer of the Year The company also gives to Pathways in Hanover, which helps provide visiting nurses for the sick; and Road to Responsibility, whose mission is to provide the means, the opportunity and the support necessary to allow citizen’s with disabilities to take their place as productive members of the community. The company and its employees donate more than just money to worthy causes. Blood drives for the Red Cross are held in the communities where its stores are located. Bob Sullivan not only serves on the board of Brockton (Mass.) Hospital, but also volunteers there.
Taking care of the customer
Sullivan Tire considers sports marketing and newspaper, direct mail, billboard, radio and television advertising as a necessary cost of doing business. Putting time into “social media channels” is part of that, says Gillard. “It’s not like newspapers, where you can put in an ad and forget about Unlike most of the other stores, the Braintree location on Common Street is open every Sunday. Standing left to right are Nachi Cruz, Gar Chan, Fred Muigai and Matt Kline (manager); kneeling are Rob Gouveia and Jonathan Rollins.
it. Social media is something you have to focus on every day.” The company has been a sponsor of the Boston Red Sox since 1974, but also supports minor league baseball’s Pawtucket Red Sox, Portland Sea Dogs and New Hampshire Fisher Cats; and the Cape Cod Baseball League, an amateur league formed in 1885. The dealership also sponsors the NHL’s Boston Bruins and the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Bruins; and local college athletics. The company even takes out billboard advertising in Fort Myers, Fla., because a lot of New England fans head south to see the Boston Red play during spring training. Gillard says sports marketing, particularly baseball-themed advertising, seems to be the best fit for Sullivan Tire. Pedroia is one of a number of professional sports celebrities the company has hired over the years. Others include former Red Sox Manager Terry Francona and Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester; baseball hall of famers Jim Rice and Dennis Eckersley; Boston Celtics hall of fame guard Tommy Heinsohn; and former Boston Bruins hockey star Derek Sanderson. “When we’re marketing a product or a service or, more importantly, our brand, we need to be very clear in our communication as to what the real value is to the consumer,” says Paul Sullivan. “It’s not always about price. “Clearly, there are an awful lot of messages out there in a very crowded arena, but setting yourself apart with conviction
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MTD September 2012
and integrity should always be your ultimate goal. Businesses that have the customer in mind will be around years and many generations.” The company does a lot of “loyalty-type marketing” with its data base, according to Gillard. “We really nurture that database. We send out a lot of reminders and thank you’s. Sometimes we just send out a thank you letter thanking them for their business.”
Gillard says he is very proud of the way the company handles complaints. “Many times it’s just a communication problem.
Maybe we said something wrong or didn’t explain something properly. “As soon as the complaint comes in, whether it’s by e-mail or phone call, we’re on it. It’s amazing. I love watching it progress, particularly when one comes in by e-mail. “I see all the e-mails coming in. First it goes to a supervisor, and it just turns into this fire drill. Everybody wants to take care of the customer. “If I feel the need to immediately respond, I’ll respond to the person and say ‘I’m sorry about your experience. We’re
Dealer profile: Sullivan Tire Robert J. Sullivan founded the company in 1955
Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. is 10th on the Modern Tire Dealer 100 list of the top independent tire dealer chains in the United States. It also placed 33rd on MTD’s “Top 100 retreaders” list. Employees: 1,000-plus Retail stores: 60 Days open per week: 6 Commercial outlets: 15 Number of states: 5 Retread plants: 3 Number of retreads per day: 452 Wholesale distribution centers: 4 (2 retail, 2 commercial) Satellite distribution points: 10 “I’m surprised at times at how robust our wholesale business is with the retail presence we’ve had, but we try to command a decent enough margin at retail where the wholesalers have enough room to operate,” says Brian Gollub, manager of purchasing and distribution. “It is a challenge being a wholesaler and a retailer in the same market, and as we grow our retail footprint, it becomes more of a challenge because we’re bigger, and we have more stores in more places where we’re trying to sell wholesale. “We try to maintain very strong relationships and keep the wholesale business primarily separated from retail,” he adds.
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Tire Dealer of the Year on it. I’m going to pass this off to the supervisor at your location. Please let me know if they don’t get back to you within an hour.’ “Depending on the complaint, the supervisor will take it and call the customer or give it to the store manager and get the customer an answer,” he says. “Usually, we get back to them within a half hour. It’s a quick process.” “My father used to say you should treat every customer like a guest coming into your house,” says Bob Sullivan. “And our people know that’s the feeling that we want the customer to get.”
It’s all about the employees
Apples-to-apples pricing
A look at Goodyear tires 16 years apart In 1996, the “most popular” domestic cars included the Ford Taurus and Escort; Chrysler Caravan and Voyager; Pontiac Grand Am; Saturn; and Chevy Corsica and Beretta. Here are the tire sizes for those vehicles, the Goodyear lines advertised, and the prices Sullivan Tire stores sold them for in 1996. For comparison purposes, prices for the same sizes and comparable tire lines sold by the company in 2012 are listed. Size 175/70R13 195/75R14 215/70R15 195/60R15
1996 tire (price) Invicta GL ($54.95) Decathlon W/S ($40.99) Regatta W/S ($83.99) Eagle GA ($89.95)
Sullivan Tire sold a size 31x10.50R15 Goodyear Workhorse Radial for $99.95 in 1996. The comparable Wrangler SRA in the same size sells for $186 today — an 86% increase in price.
One quarter of Sullivan Tire’s more than 1,000 employees have been there for at least 10 years. Every year, they are honored with a special breakfast that celebrates their commitment to the company. “We receive one of the best benefit packages in the industry,” says Gollub. That includes the company paying 70% of health care costs; a 401k program with match; Christmas Club with 100% company match based on the number of years of service; and a mutual fund plan with 100% company match based on the number of years of service. Bonuses also are handed out to quarterly MVPs (most valuable players) from each department and ASE-certified Master Techs — $100 per certification. “My father once told me, ‘The only thing that the job owes you is a paycheck,’” says Andrea Wasielewski, an accounts receivable specialist who has been with the company 31 years. “But when I started here, I had to disagree with him. “You not only get a paycheck, but so many perks. We’ve been
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2012 tire (price) Kelly Explorer + ($74.00) Kelly Explorer + ($81.00) Assurance Fuel Max ($111.00) Eagle RS-A ($89.00)
sent on a cruise, they match our Christmas Club, we get a bonus in April if the company is doing well... it really is like a family. They give us so much. They are terrific people to work for.” Bob Sullivan uses a story about his father to illustrate how important the employees are to the company. “My father got his first new car after he and mom had eight kids. Mom said, ‘Bob, you must be very proud.’ He said, ‘I’ll be proud when everyone who works with me can afford a new car.’”
Last words
”Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” Those words on leadership come straight from the late John Wooden, the legendary coach of the UCLA Bruins college basketball team. Bob Sullivan has incorporated them into his LDP.
MTD September 2012
Tire store — it was more of a barn, says Bob — in Rockland, Mass., in 1955. For $150 a month, he got to use the building and, during the day, the owner’s garage. Bob, who was in grade school when the business started, was the first of his parents’ 10 children. He was the first to help out after school, but all the kids helped out eventually. “If it wasn’t for my mother, if she didn’t raise those 10 kids and take a lot of the pressure off my father, he could never have put the time in the business that he did. So she’s a remarkable person.” Six of the siblings are still alive: Bob, Patricia, Paul, Billy, Joey and Dan. The other four, including Dick, who was manager of real estate holdings for the company, passed away over a seven-year period. Bob’s son, Kevin (store manager), Paul’s son, Mark (marketing) and Billy’s son, Corey (retail associate) are third-generation employees. Three offspring of their late sister, Joan, also are in the business; Ryan and Casey McMullen are store managers, while Kyle Braintree Store Manager Matt Kline, left, takes care of customer Paul Kaufman, who left, in his words, “very satisfied.” McMullen works in the call center. Robert Sullivan died of leukemia in 1992. Bob’s Wooden’s “success triangle” relies on faith and patience, two mother, Mary, is 92. “She has a great sense of humor,” he says. areas that Robert Sullivan taught his children. The company’s “She has a great spirit.” founder learned patience (see sidebar on page 32), but built Sean Galiano was hired by Sullivan Tire as a general service his dealership on faith when he rented the former Washburn technician 22 years ago. Today, he is not only an ASE-certified
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Tire Dealer of the Year Master Technician, but also manager of the Norwell location and an LDP graduate. “I met Bob senior shortly after I joined the company,” he says. “He was retired. I was reluctant to shake his hand because mine was filthy. He said, ‘Gimme that hand — that’s our dirt!’” Galiano, who has completed the LDP, says the company has given him the tools needed “to take advantage of opportunities.” It also has taken care of him. “I hurt my back, herniated a disc, a few years ago, and you’re always worried about what your boss is going to think when he finds out you’re hurt. I tried to keep it low-key because I didn’t want anyone knowing. “Well, Bob finds out I hurt my back because he walks in the shop one day and sees that I can barely walk. I’m hobbling
Rockland’s Marc Benjamin (left), himself an ASE Master Technician, manages the 11-bay store and tech Joe Finch.
A Tire Dealer of the Year milestone: number 20 Sullivan joins a select group of top independent tire dealers Bob Sullivan, president of Sullivan Tire Co. Inc., in Norwell, Mass., is Modern Tire Dealer’s 20th Tire Dealer of the Year. He was elected by a panel of independent judges, including one former Tire Dealer of the Year: Tom Raben, president of Raben Tire Co. in Evansville, Ind., who was chosen in 2002. The other 2012 judges were Saul Ludwig, author of MTD’s monthly “Ludwig Report” for more than 37 years and a managing director for Northcoast Research Holdings LLC. in Cleveland, Ohio; Dick Morgan, president of Morgan Marketing Solutions in Dallas, Texas; and Wayne Williams, another MTD columnist and president of ExSell Marketing Inc. in La Habra, Calif. Sullivan’s selection brings our award back to Massachusetts. Barry Steinberg, president of Direct Tire & Auto Service in Watertown, and a competitor of Sullivan Tire, was the first Tire Dealer of the Year in 1993. The following is a list of our past Tire Dealer of the year award winners. 2011: Nick Mitsos, Mountain View Tire & Service Inc., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. 2010: John Snider, Snider Tire Inc., Greensboro, N.C. 2009: Bill Ziegler, Ziegler Tire & Supply Co., Massillon, Ohio 2008: Ken Towery, Ken Towery’s AutoCare SuperCenter, Louisville, Ky. 2007: Charlie Creighton, Colony Tire Corp., Edenton, N.C. 2006: Bill Williams, Jack Williams Tire Co., Moosic, Pa. 2005: Paul Zurcher, Zurcher Tire Inc., Monroe, Ind. 2004: Bob and Juanita Purcell, Purcell Tire & Rubber Co., Potosi, Mo. 2003: John Marshall, Grismer Tire Co. Inc., Dayton, Ohio 2002: Tom Raben, Raben Tire Co., Evansville, Ind. 2001: Larry Morgan, Morgan Tire & Auto Inc., Clearwater, Fla. 2000: Les Schwab, Les Schwab Tire Centers, Prineville, Ore. 1999: Raynal Pearson, Pearson Tire Co., Richfield, Utah 1998: Tom Gegax, Team Tires Plus Ltd., Minneapolis, Minn. 1997: Walt Dealtrey Sr., Service Tire Truck Centers, Bethlehem, Pa. 1996: David Stringer, Stringer Tire Co., Jacksonville, Fla. 1995: Tony Troilo, Rosson & Troilo Motor Co., Brandy Station, Va. 1994: Jerry Bauer, Bauer Built Inc., Durand, Wis. 1993: Barry Steinberg, Direct Tire & Auto Service, Watertown, Mass. In recognition of this achievement, MTD will donate $1,000 and a percentage of congratulatory ad revenue in Sullivan’s name to a charity of his choice. The Sullivan Tire suppliers that ran congratulatory advertising in this section are: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Bartec USA LLC, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC, Yokohama Tire Corp., Aftersoft Network N.A. Inc., Michelin North America Inc., Continental Tire the Americas LLC, Tech International, MaddenCo Inc., Mohawk Rubber Sales Inc., China Manufacturers Alliance LLC/Double Coin, TBC Wholesale Group and NAPA Auto Parts.
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Tom Raben
Saul Ludwig
Dick Morgan
Wayne Williams
MTD September 2012
along, and he asks me, ‘How long have you been dealing with this?’ I told him and he said he was going to call me back. “Sure enough, he calls me back that day and says he made an appointment for me with one of the best back surgeons in Boston. That gesture just says, ‘We care about you and we want to see you get better.’” Even as his body and mind were failing him, Bob’s father, who retired at 65, wanted his eldest son to keep him abreast of the business he created. And he still knew what was most important in life. The day after his father died, Bob came to the office. He hadn’t told his assistant the news yet. “You have a message from your father,” she told him. The voice mail message was short and to the point. “Thanks for keeping your mother number one.” One final pat on the back from his father. And a reminder of what is truly important, from one leader to another. ■
www.moderntiredealer.com
Four of the 10 Sullivan children work in the business: Bob, pictured with his son, Kevin, a store manager in Rockland, Mass. (above); Billy and Joey (public relations), pictured with Bob (upper right); and Paul, pictured with Sullivan Tire’s mascot, Misty (right).
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Tire Dealer of the Year
One word, with feeling
When speaking from their hearts, no one had trouble describing Bob Sullivan
W
hen asked, “What one word best describes Bob Sullivan?” his employees, family members and peers had little trouble answering. And they were eager to elaborate.
really encourages people to build upon that. I think he encourages innovative thinking, which is a real important attribute of a leader.”
“HONEST.” John Donovan, vice president of “COMPETITIVE.” sales: “I’ve known him a long time. I Paul Sullivan, vice president of trust him to be very upfront. He has marketing: “I think he wants to uphold good morals, and is a person you can what we believe is a legacy mission our trust. That translates into never being dad started. We try to continue it in forced into making a questionable a very humble way. The competition decision. Making the right decision is always the way to go because you’re always backed up.”
company. He makes the company, as big as it is, feel like a mom-and-pop company, which is what attracted me to it. He’s a people person. He cares about his people first, hands down. When he comes in, he says ‘hi’ to the first person he sees, whether it’s a technician or a customer or me or a salesperson.”
“COMPASSIONATE.” Saul Ludwig, managing director, Northcoast Research Holdings LLC: “He has a real sense of family with his entire employee organization. I would give him high marks for the sincere, deep feelings he has for the welfare of “LEADER.” the communities in which he operates. Bob Keegan, former chair- He’s a good businessman, too, but that man and CEO, Goodyear Tire is not all he thinks about.” & Rubber Co.: “He sees his role as the captain of the team, not as “SELFLESS.” an owner whose imperative it is to Cathy DiTullio, executive assistant: make all the decisions. He knows “He can’t do enough for people. He he needs a superior team to win wants to help everybody. It’s so rare in a very competitive business, to find a president who gives so much and he spends considerable time to his employees.” building that team. Of course, he spends time on developing and “DRIVEN.” broadening his personal skill set, Joe Zaccheo, CFO: “He’s driven and he’s proven to be a courageous to succeed. He’s never satisfied with “CARING. “ Eileen Levangie, I.T. help desk manager (pictured with Bob Sullivan): “He’s leader. He leads his team into new having a good year. He wants to make always worrying about his employees, how investments, new geographies the company better.” they’re doing personally and at work. He cares and new businesses, kind of the about his employees and he wants them to be definition of courageous.” “PATIENT.” the best that they can be.” Joan Kirby, accounts payable destarts when the lights go on, it’s game “INTEGRITY.” partment specialist: “He just handles time, and the clock starts to run, but Brian Gollub, manager of purchas- everything with a good way about him. the humbleness is a lot of the things ing and distribution: “He’s one of the He handles people in such a calm and you do on your own time — the way few people in my life who I would feel wonderful way, and just makes them feel you live, the way you reach out to the comfortable with making a straight at home. He makes people feel relaxed, less fortunate.” handshake deal without any contract especially new people coming in.” or anything else. He’s a true believer, “ENCOURAGING.” a man of integrity and honor. You’ll Kirby, who started with the company Josh Sweeney, TIA-certified tire take the hill for the guy.” 34 years ago, describes the late Robert specialist and head of the call center: Sullivan as “joyful.” “I think what’s so great about Bob “FAMILY-ORIENTED.” “He had the biggest smile, and he Sullivan is he welcomes out-of-the-box Matt Kline, manager, Sullivan wanted you to feel comfortable around ideas and new ways of thinking and Tire’s Braintree, Mass., store: “His him. He wanted everyone to feel cominnovative thought processes, and family is anyone who works for the fortable on the same level, basically.” ■
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MTD September 2012
