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In 1985, Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. A group of recording artists banded together and recorded “We Are the World” to support starving people in Africa. Coca-Cola changed its formula and released New Coke. And Tom Warmuth started his career with Rad Air at their Parma Heights location.
Tom’s dad used to take the bus downtown for work every day, and one day, while waiting for his ride, he struck up a conversation with the Rad Air shop manager who told him to send his son over for an interview. Tom started working for Rad Air as a technician apprentice right out of high school – he was doing everything from cleaning gutters and taking out the trash to occasionally working on a car. He moved up to tech and eventually moved all the way up to management. Rad Air’s founder and CEO, Andy Fiffick, pitched Tom on the idea of owning his own franchise, and in 2013, the two started the Downtown Cleveland Rad Air location. After a few years, Tom was presented with the opportunity to return to his beloved Parma, where he was born and raised, to take over Rad Air’s longest-tenured shop. He’s been the franchise operator since October 2019.
He loves providing great service for clients and truly feels like he is making an impact in their lives. He loves the camaraderie of working with his beloved employees, many of which have been with Rad Air for years. But he also loves his office administrator, Karen, who also happens to be his wife!
Outside of work, Tom and Karen enjoy spending time at their summer residence in Marblehead on the Erie shores. Tom says that when they “cross that bridge, every weekend is like a vacation!” The two have a son, Quinn, who has kept them busy traveling for his hockey career. He is currently attending Robert Morris University and hopes to go pro when his college career is over.
He’s got a vehicle in the shop that he’s working on right now for a client that has fallen on hard times. Tom’s team can’t perform all of the repairs that are needed to get the car in perfect condition at once, but they are doing everything they can to keep their client safe by only fixing what is necessary and affordable and not trying to get as much money as they can. That’s what they do. They help put smiles on the faces of those who are in need. That’s how Tom stays motivated. As Tom puts it, “When you spend $1,000 on golf clubs, you are happy. When you spend $1,000 on car repairs, you’re angry. So, if you can make someone smile after spending $1,000 on car repairs, you’ve done a good job.”
It’s that commitment to clients and long-tenured service that makes Rad Air of Parma Heights a true neighborhood car care center. The shop isn’t a flat-rate shop, so it isn’t a cut-throat operation where people are fighting over jobs. All they want to do is help the clients they serve. The winner is the client who gets great service and knows that Rad Air of Parma Heights will only repair what needs to be repaired and will never overcharge. That’s what neighbors do, and your neighbors at Rad Air are waiting to serve you and your family.