Rusty Coats, who has led our Big O Tires operations since he was hired in 2003, is retiring after decades of faithful service to the automotive industry. His career began in the early 70s at COMO Tire, where he worked with his father, Russ Coats, who owned and operated tire stores in Columbia and Jefferson City. Those stores, like Rusty, would eventually become a part of the MFA Petroleum Company family and be rebranded as Big O Tires locations.
Rusty steadily grew the company’s Big O Tires business from four stores to our present 19-store operation in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. His decades of experience in the tire business and his leadership were integral to building our Big O Tires franchise into the success it has become. In 2016, Rusty was recognized at the National Big O Tires Convention with a Standing O Award for his passion for the tire business, continued excellence in customer service and support of Big O Tires. That same year, Big O Tires presented Rusty and his wife, Melanie, with its Living Our Core Values Award for their outstanding charitable efforts at our stores.
Please join me in congratulating Rusty on his retirement. We wish him well and appreciate his 15 years of outstanding work on behalf of MFA Petroleum Company.
Effective immediately Charlie Alexander will assume Rusty’s responsibilities. Charlie has been working with Rusty in recent weeks to prepare for this transition.