 Don Blythe- former WCTD Executive Director
“Basically, I’ve been a tire kicker all my life!” - Don Blythe
I’m not certain exactly when I first met Don Blythe. But it was certainly at the old OK Tire head office in a rambling old warehouse (since vanished) on Ewen Avenue in New Westminster. Then, as now, Don was an imposing presence, a straight talker rarely at a loss for words—and who never left you wondering where he stands. And still doesn’t.
Don started his working life with Goodyear in 1957. He’d taken a year out after high school before going to university to think about what he wanted to do—engineering perhaps.
“I went to work for Goodyear and that was it,” says Don.
From the order desk, to being the adjuster he eventually went out on the road in 1960, leaving for a two year hiatus to run a tire shop in Saskatchewan. When plans to buy into the business didn’t pan out he returned to Goodyear.
Don had always liked the industrial side of the business— belting, hoses and so on. When an opportunity arose to join Goodyear’s Industrial Products Division in Winnipeg, in 1967, Don jumped at the chance. His territory encompassed Manitoba as well as north-western Ontario. Much of the business was with Polaris and Arctic Cat, both of whom also had large operations on both sides of the line.
In 1970 he moved to Vancouver and then to Calgary, when he joined OK Tire.
The following year the Canadian president of OK had to retire due to health problems and recommended that Don take over.
The dealers decided to try to buy the Canadian operation from owners Ashland Oil and with Don in charge, a committee was formed and the independents negotiated the purchase and formation of the new dealer group. Eventually, after some upheaval, in 1979. Don eventually took over as the managing director, a position that he held until retiring in 1973.
This summer Don hangs up his hat as executive director of the WCTD, an organization which he has nurtured and guided since 2003. In fact, some suggest that if it wasn’t for Don’s selfless contribution the association wouldn’t be in the healthy shape it’s in today.
Don’s knowledge of and connections with the rubber industry run far and wide. No surprise, considering that he has worked in the business for all of his adult life.
Before he rode of into the sunset, we thought it a good time to ask a few questions...
What lies ahead?
With me retiring, it’s probably time we got some new blood into the organization.
As far as conventions and so on, we’re just not attracting the people we need to. The board understands the need to make it more of a training convention—that’s the plan for 2010. The program will be more focused: more on hands-on, less social time, and a shorter time commitment. It’s hard for people to get away for too long, so likely there’ll be no more gala dinner and it will end after the AGM.
Is there a future for trade shows?
From getting equipment there and taking people off the road, the cost involved now is considerable. It’s a challenge for Western Canada. If you live in Ontario you can often drive down for the day and see the equipment operating. We used to feel that it was a real benefit of the trade show to be able to compare three or four tire changers in the room at the same time. But the cost of doing business is pulling suppliers away. They’ll support a convention with money but as far as putting on major exhibits, that time is long gone. However if the groups could coordinate having their conventions coincide, in the same town, maybe the manufacturers would all willing to support a combined trade show. They’re all willing to support a convention. But I’m not sure how you can make a trade show cost-appealing any more.
What kinds of changes have you noticed?
We’re gradually attracting the younger generation. There’s a lot of second generation (and even third generation) coming in, who are starting to take over from their fathers. And that seems to happen quite regularly in the tire business. And quite a few of the ‘kids’ often do better than their fathers. I can think of a number of cases, where you thought the guy was successful before but the kids are more successful.
How do you see the present economic picture?
In today’s day and age with the challenges being faced by the car companies I don’t think it s all that bad for the tire dealers. It is for the commercial people, there’s no doubt about that. But when it comes to passenger and light truck (and that’s where the majority of our members are), it’s not all gloom and doom for them. People still have to keep their car running. They have to keep it in shape mechanically— and they have to put on new tires.
You're about the only person in the tire business who never worked for Michelin! How come?
If you want to know the honest truth, once when I was disheartened I actually applied to Michelin. In fact I even applied for a job with Chiquita Bananas! In those days Michelin wouldn’t touch anyone who was already in the industry. And I didn’t get the Chiquita job either...
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry?
Training. The degree of training undertaken varies considerably both within the independents and the groups. Some groups do training and quite a bit of it. But it’s often more about how to run the business more successfully from the bottom line than encouraging their members to properly train their shop staff. Kal Tire, of course, has set the best example with their million dollar Vernon facility built specifically to train their own people. But overall in the industry there’s a real need to get everyone on board for training. And one of the problems with the groups is that nobody can force a dealer to send their people for training. They have to want to do it. As an industry we still have to train a whole bunch of people. I think organisations who don’t aggressively pay attention to training—as Kal has—are falling seriously behind.
What’s the real value of the association?
Our dues for membership are the lowest for any of the four associations across the country. Now some suggest the WCTD should offer better value to some of the corporate groups. From Day One I’ve done my best to try and find things that are to the advantage of the groups because I realize that many of the benefits which we offer to the independent dealer the groups already have.
My concern is that they will not continue to see the value of the association.
Take the implementation of the scrap tire program. I’m not saying that it wouldn’t have happened without the association. I don’t have a huge store but but it saves my store $5,000 a year alone.
My concern is that, down the road, some of the groups will not see the value of remaining with the association. However, the association does provide a lot of useful activity and support regardless of of whether you’re a small independent or part of a group.
On the other hand, some people don’t realize the value of associations, period. You have to give something back to the type of business you’re in, to the industry. However, over the years I’ve noticed that there are some who just can’t see the forest for the trees. It can’t be all take: there has to be some give.
On a personal note—
Don will be very much missed by the board members of the WCTD. The time has come for Don to try and enjoy his retirement a little more, but he will continue to be on the board of the BC tire stewardship and continue to move that along. Don has been one of the best Executive Directors the Associations has ever had, he makes the president’s job so easy and represented the board will. Don was very adamant about training for the members and took it to heart to deliver.
For those of you who missed the convention, the WCTD gave Don and his wife Laura an all expense paid trip to Las Vegas, to attend the SEMA show and to say good bye to many suppliers, contacts and friends that Don has made over the years of his career. The executive director’s job was not intended to be a five day week job, but Don went above and beyond his call of duty. As the past president of the WCTD I would personally like to thank Don and Laura for Don’s contribution to the tire industry. All the best, Don!
—Richard Allen
What can you say about Don? When I started working with him on the board, because of his experience with OK Tire he was running the trade show. The man was so thorough, so dedicated and so caring. He did such a superb job and always seemed to do it without any problems. He never got frustrated (or if he did he never showed it)... I would have been tearing my hair out! This big guy just moved along at his own pace and nothing seemed to bother him or deter him.
The man certainly deserves his retirement. What a formidable asset he has been to our association. Even in recent years on those occasions when he wasn’t feeling so good he just carried on and never complained.
He’s made a hello of a contribution through thick and thin, and I’m sure there are many people who have absolutely no idea just how hard he has worked for us.
— Moe Tresoor
Don has been a mentor, friend and competitor and for the past ten years we have enjoyed a close working relationship. Our first encounter was in 1977 when Don and I were on the WCTD convention committee. I was chairman and Don was the Trade Show chairman. At that time I really did not know Don but got to know the man very quickly. He was devoted to making not only OK Tire a better organization but the entire industry a better place to work and do business.
During his tenure as executive director of the wctda he also strived to make our staff better trained, create safer places to work and be a leader in the North American tire industry.
Our association has been in great hands over the past six years with Don at the helm, I will miss not being able to talk to him at 6 a.m. any morning and still get on with my regular business day.
|
