Continued success is being declared regarding fundraising for the Tire Industry Association (TIA) Foundation with the addition of Yokohama and Marangoni Tread North America as contributors, bringing the total to six major tire and retread companies that have pledged to support the association’s educational efforts.
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Bridgestone, Cooper, Goodyear and Michelin have previously donated.
“The support and enthusiasm that we are receiving from the manufacturers for the Foundation is incredible,” says TIA President Larry Brandt.
“They appreciate the investment in educational programs that TIA has made and want to help us continue the mission of training technicians on the proper procedures for servicing all types of tires and wheels, he explains.
Funds from the Foundation have financed the development of several important training initiatives over the last decade. Most recently it helped fund the Spanish translation of TIA’s Commercial Tire Service (CTS) program and will fund development of the new Farm Tire Service (FTS) training that is expected to be released next year.
Without the Foundation, TIA would not have been able to produce a much-needed training program for members with Spanish-speaking technicians or a new program that covers the service procedures and safety guidelines for agricultural tires, according to Brandt.
Kevin Rohlwing, TIA’s senior vice president of training, describes the Foundation as “the life-blood for technician training and certification. Without the Foundation resources, we would not have the funding to update and translate existing programs or develop new ones. In the last five years, the Foundation has invested $772,000 in program development and we plan to spend at least another $300,000 over the next three years on the new FTS and Industrial Tire Service (ITS) Programs.”
The TIA Foundation, which began in 2001, is a completely separate 501(c)3 nonprofit entity of TIA; all contributions are tax-deductible. The Foundation’s sole purpose is to fund training and education which means every dollar contributed is returned to the industry in the form of a new program or video. Foundation funds cannot be used for the association’s operating expenses, such as meetings and travel.
Checks payable to TIA Foundation can be sent to: TIA Foundation, Tire Industry Association, 1532 Pointer Ridge Place, Suite G, Bowie, MD 20716. Receipts can be provided for tax purposes.
For more information, visit www.tireindustry.org.
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