Nearly 150 independent tire merchants have submitted grant requests and are currently being considered for funding through the $1 million “Tire Dealer Bailout Program” from ASA Tire Systems.
“I am humbled by the various applicants’ situations and hardships across the United States,” says Wayne Croswell, the company’s president. “When we decided to launch this bailout program, we hoped we could get the ‘American spirit’ to band together and rise again, and help get our industry out of these difficult times.”
Although numerous applications are still being processed, roughly 15 percent of the grant fund has already been awarded only three weeks into the program, according to Croswell, who says dealers are still able to apply.
The first winner is St. Lucie Battery & Tire of Ft. Pierce, Fla., which employs 105 people in six locations throughout the Sunshine State.
St. Lucie has been in business in this economically hard-hit area since the 1970s, and the company “has been committed to their community and their surrounding cities in more ways than you can count,” says Croswell, citing the chain’s support local 4-H clubs and the St. Lucie County Fair.
“They were also a major force behind the revitalization of downtown Fort Pierce, personally making significant contributions to the Sunrise Theatre restoration project. During their most recent renovation, they made a major investment in the building and the neighborhood by giving the property a total facelift. The resulting building is an attractive ‘gateway’ to the downtown shopping district and an example for the many restorations undertaken downtown since then,” Croswell reports.
“Their commitment to strengthening their community over the past three decades has made them an excellent candidate to receive a financial relief,” he says, noting how the company exists “in one of the hardest hit communities in America, and the heart of our program is to help strengthen tire dealers’ businesses in areas where it is needed most. By granting them funding to improve their technology, (the company’s ownership) can improve their business infrastructure without having to sacrifice the good work they take such pride in; they are at the heart of what this bailout program is all about.”
Funds can be applied for at www.asatire.com/bailout or by contacting an ASA representative.
“I think this program has awakened that great ‘American Spirit’ within our industry, and I am convinced more than ever that together we will play a significant part in the economic recovery,” Croswell says. “I am glad to see that others in the industry have stepped forward to play their part as well. I hope to see more companies do whatever they can to contribute to this economic recovery.”
