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Kyle Richter and staff of Northwest Tire of Mandan.
MEMBER PROFILE Featuring Kyle Richter
NORTHWEST TIRE - MANDAN
Q: Tell us about yourself and your role within the organization. A: I was born and raised here in Bismarck, ND. While attending Century High School, I proceeded to start my career with Northwest Tire in 2003 as a tire technician. After working full time for two years, I decided to cut back to part time and continue my education through Dickinson State University, graduating in 2009 with Business Administration/Minor in Management. I’m happy to be working for a company that’s proud to invest in their employees, as we like to see individual growth in the company. – Manager Kyle Richter, Mandan. Q: What differentiates Northwest Tire from its competitors? A: Northwest Tire is a locally-owned and operated tire retailer and auto service facility. We sell passenger and light truck tires, as well as farm and commercial tires – we will have a tire to fit your garden tractor, car, or combine. We have tremendous buying power due to the large number of tires we purchase, and then we pass that power on to our customers through wholesale service across a seven-state region. With the purchase of so many tires, we can offer better prices than large chain retailers.
Our employees are continually training in the tire industry’s latest technology. They can easily determine what tires and services you need for your vehicle and your lifestyle. We pride ourselves on service, as we have the knowledge and expertise to make customers for life. 10 | Chamber Connection
Q: Briefly tell us the history of Northwest Tire. A: In 1977, Tony Vetter and Al Wald purchased an existing tire dealer in Dickinson, ND.
We have continued to add locations throughout the Dakotas and Minnesota over the past 40 years. Northwest Tire currently has 23 established locations, including Mighty Auto Parts and NW Tire & Retread, in 11 different cities. Q: How has the growth of Bismarck-Mandan impacted Northwest Tire? A: The Bismarck-Mandan community has been good to Northwest Tire, and thus we continue to grow. In 1988, we opened our first store in Bismarck, where today we have two automotive centers, one truck and farm center, and the corporate office, as well as one auto center in Mandan. We are planning the development of a new location in Bismarck soon. Q: What industry trends are taking place? A: The industry is now a global economy with global production. Not all tires are built in the US. We have to outsource for tires all over the world. In addition to knowing the latest product information, it is now more important than ever to also know your customers so they keep coming back to you.