The Automotive Service & Tire Alliance (ASTA) is ramping up what it offers to its tire dealer members, says Ryan Ragan, the association’s executive director.
Ragan, who became ASTA’s executive director in October 2024, discusses several initiatives in this MTD exclusive.
ASTA was formed in 2021 when the North Carolina Tire Dealers Association merged with the Independent Garage Owners Association.
The group serves tire dealers and garage owners throughout North and South Carolina and also has members in Texas and Florida.
MTD: Can you bring us up to speed on some of things that ASTA is doing for its tire dealer members? What can those members expect to see from ASTA in 2025?
Ragan: Since coming on board, I’ve had a chance to assess where we were as an organization and there are a lot of areas of opportunity as far as the value we bring to our members. My team and I went out and started engaging various vendors throughout the industry, from IT to (parts suppliers) – different types so vendors – to get them to help our members with discounts, services, coaching, etc. We’ve partnered up with around 26 vendors and we still have a few in the works who can help our members on tire side.
We’ve also started what we call 'grassroots meetings.' We go around and have meetings every month in a different city – bringing dealers out, having dinner and talking shop. Various shop owners attend. Some are very successful and some are struggling. It’s an opportunity to sit down and network.
Education is going to be a big key for us, moving forward. We’re redoing our website with a member portal where you’ll log in, if you’re a member, and will have access to content that you can’t get unless you’re a member. And a lot of that content will be on the training side. Once that site is up and running, we're going to do analytics – tracking data – and I want to start comparing our members to the national averages. That will help us figure out where we need to tailor our education.
We're looking to re-engage the tire side more. We’re going to be sending out a lot of surveys, trying to get feedback. I’ve seen it too many times ... you think you might know what your customers really need, but you don’t. They’re going to tell us. We need to know.
MTD: On the legislative front, what’s ASTA working on that would benefit its tire dealer members?
Ragan: We’re a small association on the government relations side, so what we try to do is partner up with other associations.... so we’re in line, on the same front.
MTD: What are some other benefits of membership in ASTA?
Ragan: The first thing I’ll tell you about associations – and I’ve been around them awhile – is that you have to be a little more than just a discount to a (trade) show. That’s not what we strive to be. We have a phenomenal expo. This year will be the greatest one we've ever done. I have no doubt about that. That’s one thing. But to me, (the value) is in networking. You’re meeting people that you probably wouldn’t normally bump into every day. Being able to compare notes, share ideas and utilize resources...they can introduce you to a resource you didn’t even know existed. And that's what we try to do as an association. What are your pain points? We can help you. All we’re trying to do is help you run a successful business and help you grow that business. That’s what ASTA is. And when I say ‘we,’ I mean every member of the association.
