Les Schwab Tire Centers

Infobox Company
company_name = Les Schwab Tire Centers
company_
company_type = Private
company_slogan = "If We Can’t Guarantee It, We Won’t Sell It"
foundation = 1952
location = Prineville, Oregon,
United States
key_people = Philip (Phil) Wick, Chairman
Dick Borgman, CEO, John Britton, President, Operations
industry = automotive, retail
products = tires, brakes, shocks
revenue = Over $1,800,000,000 (2007) (est.)
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees = 7,700 (2006)
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.lesschwab.com/ lesschwab.com]
footnotes =
data [http://hoovers.com/les-schwab-tire-centers/--ID__47472--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml Les Schwab Tire Centers.] Hoovers. Retrieved on March 12 2008.]

Les Schwab Tire Centers is a tire retail chain operating in the western United States. Founded in 1952, The company is named for founder Les Schwab and is headquartered in Central Oregon. The private company employs over 7,000 people in eight western states. The company is known for its customer-oriented employees and product guarantees.

History

Les Schwab founded the company with a single store in Bend, Oregon, when he bought OK Rubber Welders in 1952. The headquarters were later moved to nearbye Prineville. In 1964, an annual February "Free-Beef" promotion started to boost sales during slow late-winter months.Fact|date=September 2008 On December 12, 2006, the company announced that its headquarters will move to nearby Bend where a number of its executives live. Dick Borgman became CEO on the same day. [Mike Rogoway, "Tire giant rolls hub out of town", "The Oregonian" 13 December 2006, p. B1+] As of 2007, the chain operates more than 410 stores in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The company does more than $1.6 billion in sales each year, and, according to the AP,Fact|date=May 2007 is the number two private tire retailer in the United States.

Operations

In addition to tires, the company sells a variety of other auto parts and auto related services, including brakes and shocks. Forbes magazine ranks Les Schwab as the 324th largest privately held company in the country. "Modern Tire Dealer" has called the Les Schwab "arguably the most respected independent tire store chain in the United States." [http://www.moderntiredealer.com/t_inside.cfm?action=news_det&storyID=7444 Tire industry icon Les Schwab dies at 89.] "Modern Tire Dealer", May 18 2007. Retrieved on March 12 2008.] The company closes all of its stores on Sundays while employees are known for running to customer vehicles when they pull in to park.

References

External links

* [http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonianextra/1997/09/profile_of_les_schwab_in_1997.html Profile of founder Les Schwab]
* [http://www.rmef.org/Conservation/Partners/Corporate/Sponsorships/Les+Schwab+Tire+Centers.htm Les Schwab and Conservation Partnerships]
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/21/biz_06privates_Les-Schwab-Tire-Centers_S5ON.html Forbes]
* [http://hr.blr.com/news.aspx?id=18553 Les Schwab Tire Centers Women in Management]
* [http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/les-schwab-tire-centers-to-phase-out/n20080729163209990071 Les Schwab Tire Centers to Phase-Out Lead Wheel Weights]
* [http://www.oregonbusiness.com/.docs/action/detail/rid/31680/folder/10002/pg/10003 Oregon Business Top 100 Companies to Work For, Les Schwab ranked #23]