Heading into the new year, Big O Tires added to its territory management ranks, adjusted its territory maps, and reorganized some of its leadership roles.
Following the acquisition of 13 Kansas City-area stores from TBC Corporation on December 13, two additional territory managers have been selected to supervise the recently acquired stores.
New hire Daniel Crosby is now in charge of six Kansas City North Territory stores. Crosby brings nearly 15 years of experience in retail automotive leadership experience to the company. For the past eight years, he worked for TBC Corporation and oversaw the Kansas City market area.
Casey Graham has been promoted to manage the Kansas City South Territory. Graham, who leads seven stores, had previously served as Big O Tires’ manager of employee advancement. He has more than 15 years of automotive and retail tire experience, including time spent managing the Warrensburg and Sedalia locations for MFA Petroleum Company.
Matt Smith is the now manager for the Southwest Missouri Territory. Smith was promoted from running the Big O Tires store in Branson and will now oversee five stores including Hollister, Nixa, Ozark, Springfield (Republic Road), and his former store in Branson. He has been with the company for nearly 18 years.
Brookston Johnson joined the company in May 2022 as territory manager for Northwest Arkansas. Johnson has served in management roles with various companies in the automotive, retail and foodservice industries. He leads the stores in Bentonville, Fayetteville and Springdale. Johnson is set to graduate from Abilene Christian University in June with a master’s degree in business administration.
Central Missouri Territory Manager Derek Albertson has added two Springfield stores to his oversight. The stores on Glenstone Avenue and Sunshine Street are now part of his territory, in addition to the five stores he was already managing in Camdenton, Lebanon, Osage Beach, Rolla and St. Roberts. Albertson joined Big O Tires in 2008.
Mel Atteberry has been promoted to Big O Tires employee operations manager. He previously served as territory manager for southwest Missouri. In this role, he will oversee the learning and development of Big O Tires employees, work directly with territory managers on improving operational efficiencies in stores and assist in the opening of new stores. Atteberry has been with the company for five years.
Jim Williams has been a mainstay on the Big O Tires leadership team for 12 years as a territory manager and oversees seven stores in Columbia, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Warrensburg and Chillicothe. He has directly supervised four members of the current leadership team when they were store managers in the company.
“Jim does a great job of recruiting and empowering great managers underneath him to own their stores and the results speak for themselves,” said Charlie Alexander, senior director of Big O Tires. “Jim has seen Matt Smith, Derek Albertson, Mel Atteberry and Casey Graham rise to leadership roles after their time working with Jim.”
Alexander stated his management team is strong and poised to tackle big goals in the future.
“We have over 150 years of combined experience, and we are focused on developing our employees’ knowledge, skills and leadership abilities,” Alexander said. “With this group and our store teams, we know we will put our best foot forward. Our goal as an organization is to be the preferred tire and automotive service retailer in every community we serve, and a great place to work.”