WCTD Mourns Pioneering Former Executive Director Olive Storey

Jan 29, 2018

Western Canada Tire Dealers is deeply saddened to announce that Olive Storey, former WCTD Executive Director and former owner of Advanx Tire, passed away in Winnipeg on January 22, 2018.
Ms. Storey was widely regarded as a ground-breaker, in that she was among the first women to hold a senior executive position in the tire industry in North America.
Born in Vancouver in 1927, in 1950 Olive married Gord Storey, Dunlop Tires Western Sales Manager. Gord later purchased multi branch Advanx Tire, and also established a wholesale division, Astro Tire Distributors BC Ltd. Olive Storey joined the company and became office manager, until Gord Storey passed away unexpectedly in 1972.
Determined to carry on, Olive ran Advanx Tire for several years. The first female general manager of an independent tire company in Canada, she expanded the retail network and modernized existing facilities, including the head office.
She once credited the company’s survival and success to “great store managers and many committed employees.”
Advanx Tire was purchased by Kal Tire in 1981.
In 1983 Ms. Storey was approached by by Western Canada Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (now WCTD) to become executive director. She agreed, and thus became the continent’s first female tire association executive director. It was a position that she held for 15 years. During that period she helped shape WCTD into one of the most successful associations anywhere in the industry.
When, in 2011, Olive was inducted into the WCTD Hall of Fame, the late Don Blythe commented:
“It is my opinion there has not been anyone before or after who has contributed more, including financially, to the success of WCTD than Olive Storey…. She put WCTD on the map.”
WCTD extends its sincere condolences to the family.
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A celebration of Olive Storey’s life, conducted by her nephew Father Michael Storey, will be held on Saturday March 3, 2018 at 2 pm at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens, 4000 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB. A reception will follow. A memorial service and Internment will be held in West Vancouver in mid May (details to follow).

Don Blythe R.I.P.

Jan 8, 2018

Don BlytheWe are truly saddened to report that Don Blythe passed away on the evening of January 5th, 2017. Don was a former executive director of Western Canada Tire Dealers and an unswerving supporter and industry stalwart for many decades. The association extends its heartfelt condolences to his wife, Laura, and to the family.
Don was deeply respected across North America by many in the tire business and regarded as ‘a fixture’ in the Canadian tire industry.
Don had over 60 years of experience in the industry, much of it as the former Executive Director of the Western Canada Tire Dealers. He began his career with Goodyear in 1957; over the next 15 years, he held various operating and sales positions. In 1972, he moved to OK Tire, and took the position of Tire General Manager. He opened his own OK Tire franchise (in Burnaby, BC) in 1978, and in 1980, he was elected to the OK Tire Board of Directors.
Don returned to the OK Tire home office as Managing Director in 1982, and a year later, he was named President. Also in 1982, he was elected to the Board of the Western Canadian Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association, now WCTD.
He served as the association’s President from 1995 – 1997, and he was the Executive Director from 2003 until he retired in 2009. Don was a leader in scrap tire recycling within Canada, and was instrumental in starting several scrap tire programs, primarily in British Columbia.
Don Blythe was named to the Western Canada Tire Dealers Hall of Fame in 2008; and named to the Tire Industry Association (TIA) Hall of Fame in 2010.
A full tribute and obituary will follow soon. RIP, Don.