Name: Jess Rodriguez.

Home Address: 1802 Golfview Road, Streator.

Work Address: 1412 N. Bloomington St.Streator.

Age: 72.

Family: Wife, Juanita; Sons Jay, John, Joe and Jeff; Daughter Jackie. (This is where the J in J's tire comes from).

Occupation: Owner, J's Tire.

Q. Can you describe your job?

A. To manage the overall operation of the tire and service of J's Tire, Illini Plaza and Jefferson Oaks Apartments.

Q. How long have you been doing this?

A. I started working for Goodyear in 1965. By February 1977 I opened my own tire and appliance store. In 1991 I built and opened J's Tire at the location we are at now.

Q. How many hours a week do you work?

A. Thirty to 40.

Q. What is the best part of your job?

A. Being around people and selling. I sold to the father and mother and then their children. Now their grandkids are coming in.



Q. What is the toughest part?

A. Having to lay people off when business gets slow.

Q. What surprised you about this job when you started?

A. How fast my business developed in two years. I wanted a bigger store and eight years after that I moved into a bigger store — here at 1412 N. Bloomington St.

Q. Can you describe your personal "mission statement" for your job.

A. To lead as a good example for my employees and help them with their needs.

Q. Looking back, what are you most proud of?

A. The many things I've accomplished. I opened three tire stores, four video stores, three appliance stores, one furniture store and one restaurant. Some were successful and some were not. And also the development of Illini Plaza.

Q. What advice would you give someone training for this job?

A. Be prepared to work long hours and have a love for dealing with people.

Q. What does the public not understand about your job?

A. It's hard for a store my size to carry every single size tire that is made and that they need to rotate their tires.

Q. What community projects are you involved with?

A. I'm a member of the Elks and the Knights of Columbus.

Q. If you could have any other job in the world, what would it be?

A. To be a banker — that's where the money is at — or my wife (Juanita's) job.

• WORKING will be a regular feature in the Streator Edition of The Times. To participate, call Jerrilyn Zavada in our Streator Newsroom at 815-673-6371 or e-mail jzavada@mywebtimes.com or call Derek Barichello at 815-673-6372 or email derekb@mywebtimes.com.