Straightaway Tire & Auto Names Brian Bates as Chief Operating Officer

Straightaway Tire & Auto has announced Brian Bates as its newest chief operating officer in a recent press release.

After serving in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1996, Bates pursued a degree in Business Management while earning an ASE L1 Master Technician certification. In 2004, he opened his first shop and grew it into EAS Tire & Auto, a multi-location operation in Colorado. This led him to co-found Straightaway in 2023.

As Straightaway’s COO, Bates will oversee operations, field leadership development, and growth strategy as the company pursues plans for nationwide expansion.

“It is gratifying and humbling to step into this role,” said Bates. “I started as a shop owner answering phones, selling jobs, and turning wrenches, and those experiences will always shape how I lead. My priorities as COO are clear: build scalable systems and processes, invest in our people, and ensure every shop feels fully part of the Straightaway family. At the end of the day, if we get those fundamentals right, we'll build a distinct and winning business obsessed with delivering exceptional customer experiences and superior financial results.”