MFA Petroleum Company’s Big O Tires division received some well-deserved recognition at the National Big O Tires Convention in Phoenix, Arizona a few weeks ago. Top Big O Tires stores and franchisees were honored at the event and two MFA Petroleum-operated locations received special acclaim. The stores in St. Robert and Osage Beach both surpassed $2 million in sales – a feat achieved by only six other stores out of the 392 Big O Tires stores in the nation.
Besides having two of the top performing stores in the country, the Missouri/Arkansas Big O Tires team were the recipients of two additional awards.
Rusty Coats, MFA Petroleum director of retail tire services, was presented with the Standing O Award for his passion for the tire business, continued excellence in customer service and support of Big O Tires.
Rusty and his wife, Melanie Coats, were also the recipients of Big O Tires’ Living Our Core Values Award for their outstanding charitable efforts at MFA Petroleum’s 15 Big O Tires stores.
“We feel honored to be selected to receive this award,” says Melanie, who manages marketing and advertising for the Missouri and Arkansas Big O Tires stores. “We see it as a great compliment to the commitment we’ve made to give back to our communities.”
Rusty and Melanie are well known for their philanthropic activities. Their efforts span both local and national initiatives, and they make giving a point of emphasis with the stores they manage. They support local school districts near the Missouri/Arkansas Big O Tires stores, a shelter for abused women in Columbia, Mo., the Camdenton Salute to Veterans Air Show, Operation Homefront and the Wounded Warrior Project.
The combination of excellent sales, commendable generosity and terrific customer service was enough to earn MFA Petroleum a nomination for the Big O Tires Franchise of the Year award.
“Last year was a pretty big year for us and I’d like to congratulate our Big O Tires leadership team and the rest of our employees who contributed to our impressive sales and profits,” says Ed Harper, MFA Oil vice president of retail automotive, construction and maintenance. “Rusty receiving the Standing O Award is well-deserved and we’re proud of the work he and Melanie have done to build relations between the communities we serve and our stores. It’s nice to be recognized by our franchisor for our performance and we look forward to building on this success.”