John Lair
Tuttle,OK
Summary
Experienced Parts Manager with a strong background in inventory control, vendor management, and dealership operations. Known for improving parts availability, reducing downtime, and driving process improvements that support customer service and cost savings.
Overview
1
1
Certification
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Parts Manager
Lonestar Truck Group
Wichita Falls, TX
05.2019 - 05.2026
- Coordinated parts inventory control, balancing stock levels alongside backorders and reorder points for heavy-duty truck operations.
- Oversaw parts counter activities and shipping workflows within warehouse operations, targeting order accuracy and improved turnaround.
- Partnered with the service department to obtain critical components and minimize equipment downtime.
- Coordinated vendor relationship activities, negotiating pricing while resolving availability issues for OEM and aftermarket parts.
- Provided responsive customer support by guiding customers through ordering process steps and parts location efforts.
- Analyzed departmental inefficiencies and created targeted solutions to resolve issues, delivering cost savings and process improvements.
Parts Manager
Lonestar Truck Group
Abilene, TX
04.2014 - 05.2019
- managed parts inventory control, balancing stock levels, backorders, and reorder points for heavy-duty truck operations.
- Supervised parts counter warehouse and shipping workflows to strengthen order accuracy and reduce turnaround time.
- Worked with service department to obtain critical components, supporting reduced equipment downtime.
- Partnered with alternate locations throughout the region to reallocate inventory and maintain common parts and pricing within regional standards.
- Implemented a vending machine in service department to stock fast-moving parts and enable direct job billing when techs pulled parts.
- relocated to new dealership location, established parts department with bin locations, and transferred $1.2 million in inventory to new location
- Maintained dirty cores on hand below 2% by implementing proper employee training and streamlining returns.
Branch Manager
United Engines, LLC
Little Rock, AR
01.2012 - 04.2014
- Managed P&L accountability, controlling expenses while supporting revenue growth and margin improvement.
- Directed branch operations, aligning sales, service, and parts teams with daily business priorities.
- Supervised staff performance, coaching associates on customer service, safety, and operational procedures.
- Coordinated inventory planning to maintain parts availability and reduce service delays.
- managed multiple locations in Little Rock, AR, and Van Buren, AR; maintained sales and growth via sales initiatives targeting crucial oil-field customers requiring on-site generators; grew parts and service sales for on-highway vehicles.
Parts Manager
Odessa Freightliner
Odessa, TX
09.2009 - 12.2011
- Managed vendor relationships, negotiated pricing, and resolved availability issues for OEM and aftermarket parts.
- implemented obsolete return policies to reduce obsolete parts below 2% while increasing usable parts and ensuring lost sales recovery as operations were performed properly as needed.
- Coordinated with service department to source critical components and reduce equipment downtime.
- Directed parts inventory control, balancing stock levels, backorders, and reorder points for heavy-duty truck operations.
- Supervised parts counter, warehouse, and shipping workflows to improve order accuracy and turnaround.
- Drove operational improvements by implementing inventory changes for customer needs, upgrading staff, and enabling more direct communication with service department, supported the location to hit first $1 million sales month in history.
- optimized quality operations and provided essential training to improve coverage of territories previously not properly serviced.
Education
High School Diploma -
Amber-Pocassett High School
Amber, OK05.1989
No Degree - Unit Level Communications Maintainer
United States Army
Fort Sill, OK12.1989
Skills
- Inventory management
- Vendor management
- Billing and invoicing management
- Quality control
- Dealership operations
- Aftermarket growth
- Customer engagement
- Vendor training coordination
- Team Building
Accomplishments
- United States Army Combat Veteran of Desert Storm 1990/1991.
- US Army Service 1989-1994
- Primary Leadership Development Course, US Army 1993
- DTNA Parts Managers Training 2004
- Expert Level ARC Parts Manager Certified 2026
- Use Microsoft Excel to track sales trends and historical data.
- Efficient with Proceed and have working skills with Karmak, ADP (CDK), AS400 and Oracle DMS systems.
- Moved last two jobs into new Dealership locations while maintaining green profits within my department.
- Maintained Elite Dealership status for 12 years with Lonestar Truck Group in both Abilene and Wichita Falls.
- Part of Elite Support Management Team and certified to level 3 Team training.
- Over 31 years in Dealership and Detroit Distibutor.
- Have worked every position in Parts Department; delivery, warehouse shipping and receiving, cores, warranty, back and front counter sales, phone room, OPS, Parts Operations Manager and Parts Manager.
- Served as acting Service Manger at United Engines, LLC in Van Buren, AR while also maintaining and growing business as Branch Manager in Van Buren and Little Rock locations.
Certification
Parts Manager Certified with DTNA 2004
Core Management Certification 2026
Timeline
Parts Manager
Lonestar Truck Group
05.2019 - 05.2026
Parts Manager
Lonestar Truck Group
04.2014 - 05.2019
Branch Manager
United Engines, LLC
01.2012 - 04.2014
Parts Manager
Odessa Freightliner
09.2009 - 12.2011
No Degree - Unit Level Communications Maintainer
United States Army
High School Diploma -
Amber-Pocassett High School