Established in 1949, Tom’s Truck Center began as a commercial truck repair facility. In 1973, George Heidler acquired the business after owning gas stations and a tow truck operation. By 1984, he transformed it into a franchised commercial truck dealership. Over the years, Tom’s also operated Kia, Suzuki and Isuzu car dealerships and currently owns a Ford automotive dealership. Sadly, George passed away from cancer in 2011, and his son K.C. Heidler, now serves as the president and CEO.
Tom’s has two Southern California locations, offering new and used commercial vehicles, parts (both new and recycled) and services for medium to heavy-duty trucks and vans (Class 1-8). They represent leading commercial truck brands, including Allison, Caterpillar, Cummins, Ford, Fuso, GreenPower, Hino, Isuzu, Nikola and REE. Staff members also provide assistance with government incentive programs, charging infrastructure and product education. While still maintaining the Ford dealership, Tom’s primarily focuses its efforts and energy on the commercial truck sector.
K.C. was brought into the industry through a combination of childhood experiences and family influence. Growing up around a junkyard and gaining experience by disassembling cars and trucks sparked his interest in parts. This hands-on experience contributed to his understanding of the value of replacement parts, which eventually played a significant role in the growth of Tom’s parts division. He spent years learning from and working alongside his father. After completing his college education, K.C. gained additional experience by working with Hertz Equipment Rental. Ultimately, he took on the role of President and CEO of Tom’s; his background, knowledge and experience in the industry, as well as the skills he developed over the years, made him a perfect fit for the job.
Tom’s has won the prestigious Isuzu Ichiban (“No. 1” in Japanese) Award (like a President’s Club) for the past 27 years. Additionally, Tom’s was one of five finalists in the 2023 Successful Truck Dealership of the Year Award and was also a nominee for the 2023 American Truck Dealer of the Year Award.
Involvement with CNCDA has been invaluable to Tom’s Truck Center. When they started as a first-generation dealer, they lacked the knowledge to run a dealership effectively and were depleting valuable resources. A significant benefit that came from CNCDA membership was when K.C. attended the NADA Dealer Academy and brought back valuable ideas for operations. This experience brought a realization of the importance of getting involved at local, state and national levels. CNCDA provided the leadership at Tom’s with the knowledge necessary to save the dealership and welcomed the company into the industry.
Growing Tom’s to where it is today hasn’t come without its challenges: “Years ago, we tried to create our own digital parts catalog internally and it was disastrous, which brought us to the conclusion that utilizing good industry vendors that are experts in the specific service needed is more efficient. Creating long-term partnerships with these vendors continues to prove successful for us.”
Embracing change has become a way of life for K.C. For example, as an early adopter, Tom’s is leading the transition to zero-emission transportation for their customers and the industry by making investments in electric and hydrogen offerings now, at the early stages. When asked to share advice for fellow dealers, K.C. said, “I would advise future dealers to embrace change. If you don’t embrace change and adapt, you will fail.”
At the core of Tom’s objectives are environmental initiatives, dedicated to the future of sustainability and clean transportation. Tom’s is working diligently to become the zero-emission leader in the truck dealership space with electric and hydrogen vehicle and refueling offerings designed to be profitable — eventually.
Most people don’t realize that a lot goes into owning a dealership. “All the money in the world won’t buy you a dealership in California. The public does not understand all that is needed — you must show a resume with proof of experience, obtain manufacturer approval, show the location fits in geographically with state regulations and laws, identify and purchase the location, etc. Dealerships are complex with many businesses within the business. It is not an easy task,” K.C. said.
Additionally, there are many challenges facing the industry right now. The industry is in dire need of technicians, and with the addition of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), the need is continuing to grow. As the chairman of the CNCDA Foundation, K.C. works on the state’s efforts to connect entry-level technicians with job opportunities at dealerships. K.C. and his team recently launched the Automotive Technology Career Days to introduce high school and community college students to the successful career opportunities available within the automotive technology industry. The first CNCDA Foundation Career Day was held on Oct. 5, 2023, at the OC Auto Show and more than 600 students attended. The next event was held the following month at the LA Auto Show.
K.C. is not only passionate about the industry, he is also passionate about life. “You Only Live Once,” as K.C. likes to say. He loves spending time with family and friends, surfing, running and keeping fit. K.C. is a three-time Jet Ski Racing World Champion and was inducted into the PWCOFFSHORE Endurance Racing Hall of Fame in 2019.
