A letter from 2025 TIA President, Debra Hamlin Being in the industry for over 27 years and now as part of TIA, I have been provided with great opportunities to get to know the broader ecosystem of the Tire Industry. From suppliers and wholesalers to manufacturers and solutions for a safer transportation journey, we have certainly seen an acceleration in change. While we have seen continued consolidation, our industry remains resilient and is tightly woven together by relationships. The purpose of TIA is to promote the importance of safety in our industry. We have seen great advancements in technology and yet, it comes down to the basics and adherence to compliance with OSHA standards applicable to the industry. TIA provides training resources for the Automotive, Commercial, Off the Road and Agriculture tire service industries. In addition to the base benefits of training and government advocacy, the intrinsic benefits of collaboration amongst peers in the industry are above and beyond. Partnerships with organizations like Women in Trucking (WIT) is not just about advancing women in trucking – it is so much more. It is about breaking down those obstacles for women in transportation – be it Marketing, Sales, HR, Logistics, Procurement…I could go on. It is about an allyship. WIT engages an under-represented population in the tire industry creating awareness and opportunities for growth and advancement. TIA, along with many of the TIA members, are all aligned in continuing to build the army of individuals to fight this heinous crime of human trafficking. As members of the transportation industry, we are a critical part of helping to educate, inform and empower people to identify the signs of human trafficking and report it. Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) has educational programs for dealerships, truck stops, last mile delivery, energy, Youth on Transportation (YOT) and the busing community. Over two million people have been trained on recognizing and reporting human trafficking. What if we could reach two or three more million. Imagine the difference we could make. Learn how to become a member of TIA and all of its benefits: https://www.tireindustry.org/membership/become-a-member/ Learn more about WIT and its benefits of being a member: https://www.womenintrucking.org/ Learn more on human trafficking and how make a difference: https://train.tatnonprofit.org/ Debra Hamlin is the current TIA President. She has been in the Tire Industry for over 27 years. As TIA’s president, her goal is to make a lasting impact through continuously refreshing the educational programs, supporting the government affairs team, and making active strides to attract and retain talent through the Next Gen Council. PORATION BUYER'S GUIDE ®
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