[ OUR HISTORY ]
Company Legacy
Looney’s Tire Service was founded in 1974 by Jim Looney after leaving Capital Tire Service. Jim purchased a closed gas station and launched what began as a retail tire and service operation. Through strong customer relationships and a focus on serving the trucking industry, the business quickly established a solid reputation in the regional market.
As the company grew, Jim expanded into tire distribution, developing a wholesale operation that supplied tires to regional dealers and commercial customers. Over time, the retail/service operations and the wholesale distribution operations evolved into two separate businesses.
The retail and service division became Looney’s Tire Center, while the wholesale distribution business operates as Looney’s Tire Service DBA LTS Wholesale Tire.
Jim Looney passed away on April 22nd, 2025 leaving a gaping hole in the tire industry. He will forever be missed, but his legacy not forgotten.
[ LEADERSHIP TEAM ]
Experience Matters
Ryan Butler
President
Ryan Butler brings more than two decades of experience in the tire industry to LTS Wholesale Tire. A graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance, Ryan built a career grounded in hands-on operations and long-term relationship building across the Southeast.
He began his career with a leading commercial tire dealer on the East Coast, starting as a Service Manager in Atlanta, Georgia. Over five years, he advanced to store management, taking on leadership roles in Chattanooga, TN and Charleston, SC before joining Continental Tire.
During his nearly 10 years at Continental, Ryan had the opportunity to lead one of the company’s four U.S. commercial truck tire teams, building strong customer relationships and supporting successful sales performance while working closely with the company’s headquarters in Fort Mill, SC.
He went on to spend three years with a family-owned wholesale tire distribution business in Atlanta, GA contributing to its continued success, before stepping outside the tire industry for a period with Prairie Engineers.
When the opportunity arose to carry forward the legacy of Jim Looney, Ryan embraced the challenge, acquiring Looney’s Tire Service, doing business as LTS Wholesale Tire. Today, he draws on decades of industry expertise, operational leadership, and relationship-driven sales experience to guide LTS Wholesale Tire into its next chapter.
Ronna Butler
Vice President
Ronna Butler brings nearly two decades of operational leadership and organizational management experience to LTS Wholesale Tire, where she oversees administration, including accounting, finance, HR, and marketing. A graduate of Bemidji State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Ronna built her career steadily from the ground up, developing a broad skill set across finance, operations, and team leadership along the way.
Over the course of 20 years, Ronna served with local Boys & Girls Club organizations, advancing through roles of increasing responsibility across Minnesota, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Along the way, she led teams, managed multi-location operations, oversaw budgets, and worked closely with executive leadership and boards of directors, experience that gave her a well-rounded understanding of what it takes to keep an organization running smoothly.
Today, Ronna oversees the administrative operations at LTS Wholesale Tire, bringing structure, consistency, and attention to detail to the company’s accounting, finance, HR, and marketing functions. She’s focused on building strong systems and supporting the team behind the scenes so the business can continue serving its customers reliably, day in and day out.