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O'Reilly Automotive Inc.
10/29/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2026 17:29
Bill Latour: Celebrating 55 Years as Anchor and Advocate
Store Manager Bill Latour shakes hands with Ramon Odems, senior vice president of Northeast Operations and Sales, and Jose Ramirez, vice president of the Great Lakes Division, in his Canton, Michigan, store.
Outside of the O'Reilly family, most of whom started their years of service well before they were old enough to be on the payroll, Store Manager Bill Latour is the company's longest-term full-time team member. Bill celebrated 55 years of service this year, and he's still not considering retirement - or even slowing down.
When Bill got his first job as a stocker at Murray's Discount Auto in 1971, he found something he excelled at, and he's only gotten better over the decades. As Bill grew with the company, the company grew around him. Thanks to his steady leadership, many team members Bill hired and trained rose to important roles in his store, then went on to run their own stores and districts.
Scott Chekaway, whom Bill hired 28 years ago, is now the senior director of Bill's region. Scott said, "When I was 17, Bill felt more like a coach than my boss. He would always give me pointers as we interacted in the store." As Scott was promoted and his responsibilities changed, he said Bill was always checking in and finding ways to share tips and motivation.
Bill celebrated his 55th O'Reilly anniversary with Jose Ramirez, vice president of the Great Lakes Division, who celebrated his 25th.
While Bill is proud of success stories like Scott's, it wasn't a path he wanted for himself. With his dedication and natural leadership skills, he had opportunities to be promoted through the ranks of management, but Bill said he was happy with what he was doing, and he chose to keep his store manager position. District Manager Craig Clark, who has worked with Bill for 25 years, said he's been selfless in developing team members who were able to go to the next level in another location. "He always understood it was for the betterment of the team member and for the greater good of the company. Every time a team member got promoted out of his store, Bill congratulated them and geared up to train the next."
Through times of change or difficulty, there has been a circle of support around Bill and his team members. Bill credits Craig and former team member Dan Godowski with providing help during hard times, but Craig points right back at Bill. "Even throughout change, Bill helps his team navigate with confidence. He is a rock."
Bill's dedication to the O'Reilly culture creates ripples that spread far beyond his store. "Bill impacts the people around him with his energy, positive attitude, and passion for doing things the right way," Craig said. "He leads by example, and it's contagious." For 55 years, Bill Latour has been a steadfast fixture in our Detroit-area stores and a selfless promoter of his best team members. He's content with the life he's built for his family and the family he's built at O'Reilly. "I like our customers and I like working with our team members," Bill said. "I'll do this as long as I can."
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. published this content on October 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 29, 2026 at 23:29 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]