Starr, Larry

Founder of Consolidated Service Corporation (CSC), father of Pat Starr.

In the late 1930s, Larry Starr opened a BF Goodrich Tire franchise and named it Biltmore Tire Company. He eventually expandedhis product line so that it featured such other big names in tires as Firestone, Goodyear, General, Uniroyal, as well as familiar names in auto parts.

Then, in 1939, he got the break he had been hoping for. A local car dealer named Zollie Frank was starting into the car leasing business, and he wanted to have replacement tires included in his contracts.  He knew Larry Starr because Larry had been selling him tires and auto parts for his new car dealership, and Zollie Frank wanted Larry to handle the replacement tire business for his leased vehicles as well.  This was the real beginning of an entire industry.  And, it was the beginning of the company known as Consolidated Service Corporation.

As Larry Starr worked to expand his fledgling company, along came one business problem he could not overcome: a world war.  Tire rationing began early in 1942.  Larry was dedicated to his country, and his customers.  He went to the rationing board where he was awarded special allocations, since many of his fleet customers were involved in vital war contracts.

In 1949, Larry Starr worked out an arrangement with B.F. Goodrich to install tires for his customers through the national network of B.F. Goodrich stores.  Before that time, all fleet vehicle tire replacements had to be shipped from Chicago to the individual driver's home!  Crucial orders were shipped by Greyhound Bus -- usually arriving within 24 hours.  Service to the customer was still the utmost aim of CSC.

This was a real breakthrough and, as a result, he and Pat saw their Tire Service Program grow.  The experience gained by CSC in implementing this program was the perfect catalyst for further development of the industry's first national Account Tire Replacement Program.

As their growing company moved into and through the 1950's, Pat was given the prime responsibility for developing new programs, and to expand on a number of opportunities they both saw for the future.

Another event that would call for Pat's active participation in the late 1950's was the formation of the first industry organization, the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA).

Larry Starr passed away in 1962.