The 13^th annual California Tire Dealers Association/1-800EveryRim New Year Luncheon in Commerce, CA, attracted nearly 70 guests and featured the induction of tire industry veteran Scott Highfill into the CTDA Hall of Fame.

Highfill was recognized for his 50-year career, which began in 1976 at Kennedy’s Firestone in San Diego. Following that role, he worked for three different wholesalers in San Diego before opening a one-man operation selling inner tubes and specialty tires out of his home.

Scott merged with Great Western Tire in 1991, buying his partner out in 2000, and continued the wholesaling until he sold the business in 2015.

He started a workers’ compensation buying group in 1988 and served as Executive Director of that group for many years. To this day, he helps CTDA maintain a presence in the San Diego area, recruiting dealers in the region to attend CTDA’s San Diego Area Meetings.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Highfill is an active participant in the community, serving as a youth baseball volunteer umpire for nearly three decades, helping the Jackie Robinson YMCA and serving on the Board of a Native American non-profit helping children on the poorest reservations on the Plains.

The luncheon also featured a very lively and informative keynote speech by Darren McLea of DJM Solutions, a provider of sales training for tire dealers. McLea explained the importance of establishing a clearly defined sales process, training salespeople to ask for the sale, and establishing customer loyalty.

Thirteen companies sponsored the event. In order of support, those companies were:

Federated Insurance – Diamond Sponsor
1-800EveryRim OEM Wheels – Founding Sponsor
TireTutor
Yokohama Tire
Hawley Insurance Services
Myers Tire Supply
DJM Solutions
Mighty Auto Parts
New York Life
Boyd Shackelford Barnett & Dixon
NAPA Auto Parts
Nokian Tyre
Parts Authority

The next luncheon is slated for February 11, 2027, at the Stevens Steak & Seafood House in Commerce, CA.

About CTDA

The California Tire Dealers Association (CTDA) represents California’s tire dealers, manufacturers, distributors, and related businesses in regulatory and legislative matters. The association’s mission is to protect and promote the well-being of the California tire industry by providing a unified voice before state, county and local legislators and regulators, while providing benefits and a platform for members to interact in a meaningful way.

Tagged: Sales Training

California Tire Dealers Luncheon Honors Industry Veteran Scott Highfill