BILL FOUNTAIN

In 1956 at the age of 23 Bill Fountain, along with his brother Jack, opened the first Fountain Tire independent tire store in Wainwright. While Jack liked running a store in a small community, Bill was an innovator, always leading the way. Bill recognized that the farming community had a need for on-site service that wasn’t being met. He invested in the trucks and equipment to provide this service and as he grew his young company he initially focused on opening stores in rural communities.

Three years after start up Bill took a calculated risk by expanding not into urban markets but into the North. He established stores in Fort St. John, British Columbia and Whitehorse, Yukon, towns that serviced much of the Alaska Highway. The new locations flourished.

Bill set a great example for the young men he recruited and trained. He gave them every opportunity and expected performance. Many went on to become store managers. As the business expanded he gave them the opportunity to become 50/50 partners in their stores.

In 1967 Bill and five other men, from the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, formed a National company, Astro Tire and Rubber Company, creating their own private label tire brand and providing Bill and his partners with control of a full product line from manufacturing to retail sales. The only other private labels in Canada at the time were owned by Sears and Canadian Tire.

In 1976, 20 years after he had started the business, Bill was killed in a tragic automobile accident, leaving behind his wife Eileen, two sons and a daughter. His company had grown to 19 stores by then. Bill had the foresight to arrange for insurance which provided the funds to buy out his interest and the opportunity for his key people to carry on.

Bill recognized that many people that did not have the opportunity to go to university had the talent to become significant contributors to their community as business owners. He opened that door to a number of young men who joined his company and went on to become 50% owners of the stores that they managed. He encouraged his store managers/owners to stay involved in and committed to the communities in which they did business. Fountain Tire’s model of 50/50 store ownership continues today.
In 2006 the Western Canada Tire Dealers Association honored Bill Fountain with its Pioneer Member Award at its annual convention. Alberta Venture Magazine featured Bill as one of the 100 Alberta entrepreneurs of the century in 2005, the Province of Alberta’s Centennial year.

Bill’s legacy is a company that today employs 1,900 associates across Western Canada in over 145 locations. Its Head Office remains in Edmonton.

Bill Fountain introduced ownership by the people that deal with the customers. He took an idea, surrounded himself with young people, and helped them achieve their dreams.