Titan International (Titan) recently concluded another year of Titan University, a dynamic sales training program tailored for tire dealers. This year marked the ninth school year for the program. Every year the program is rebuilt based on dealer feedback, product innovations and industry changes, bringing new sessions and class content its customers.
Students came from all over North America — including 36 states and provinces from California to Alberta — to learn from and network with industry leaders. Held Jan. 14-16 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, Iowa, the event included 25 classes and 12 hands-on sessions. It covered a variety of topics to equip dealers to grow their businesses, solve customer challenges, improve safety and more.
“I still make the trip from Idaho year after year because of the immense value this training offers our team — not only for the knowledge but for the opportunity to connect with the experts who are close to the source of our tire production,” said Jesse Wickel, president and CEO of Wickel Tire Pros. “It’s an excellent resource for keeping our team sharp.”
Featured sessions covered tire technician safety, OTR and agricultural tire fundamentals, sales strategies for LSW tires, service beyond the install, as well as tire compounding and chemistry. This year’s program also included updates on high-speed trailer and ATV/UTV tire opportunities following Titan’s acquisition of the Carlstar Group in 2024. Attendees were given an exclusive tour of the Titan tire facility in Des Moines.
Mike Naig, Iowa’s secretary of agriculture, spoke on the importance of collaboration between the agricultural sector and tire industry on the second day of the summit. He shared insights into the future of the agriculture industry while emphasizing the role of tire dealers in supporting agricultural sustainability.
“We’re incredibly proud of the success Titan University has achieved over nine school years,” said Kim Boccardi, vice president of marketing at Titan. “Our mission is to ensure our dealers are equipped with the tools and knowledge to succeed through providing valuable, accessible resources. This training platform is just one of the many ways we support dealer growth.”
Director of off-road tire service at the Tire Industry Association (TIA), Matt White, gave a keynote address highlighting safety, technical service advancements and the importance of tire and wheel technology in agricultural and OTR applications. Expert partners including TIA, Stellar Industries, Fuller Brothers and AME International also participated in hands-on sessions.
Global Ag/LSW product manager at Titan, Scott Sloan, emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry partners to enhance safety.
“The partnership with TIA and other experts is critical in reinforcing the importance of safety in our industry. Tire technicians’ safety is our top priority, and ensuring they make it home every night after providing the best service for our shared customers is essential to everything we do at Titan,” said Sloan.
