Tommy’s Express Car Wash Takes Flight with US Air Force Vet as General Manager
Photo Credit: Tommy’s Express
The first Alaska location for the Tommy’s Express Car Wash national franchise is opening this summer under the management of a US Air Force veteran. Local franchisee Wild Spruce Ventures selected Steven Udall as General Manager in Alaska.
Udall is managing the first of eight Tommy’s Express locations planned for Anchorage. He returns to town after he and his family were stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson starting in 2010. He fell in love with the state and everything it had to offer, including a tight-knit network of friends and neighbors, plenty of outdoor activities, and open skies for flying.
“When I was living in Alaska before, I felt the need for a fast, high-tech car wash in my area. Tommy’s Express excels in that,” Udall says. “Through the interview process, I was inspired by their commitment to the community. Not only do they deliver a much-needed service, they get involved with charities to make a real investment in the community.”
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The first Alaska location for Tommy’s Express at 1850 Abbott Road features a unique wash tunnel design and employs approximately twenty people. Udall is responsible for supporting the company’s mission of empowering local employees and building up the next generation workforce. He says he is excited about supporting Anchorage’s robust military community through collaborative nonprofit work.
“There’s something about Alaska that is almost unspoken unless you’re here and can experience it,” says Udall. “For me, it’s the people who make it such a different, unique place. We established a lot of long-term friendships, so we’re excited to get back to Alaska and reconnect with our friends and the community.”
One of the nation’s fastest-growing franchises, Tommy’s Express has more than 200 locations nationwide. The local franchisee Wild Spruce Washes is a family-run operation made up of CFO Tamara Davis along with her sons Austin and Parker and their wives. Parker is an F-16 pilot deployed to South Korea, and he met his wife, Katrina, at the US Air Force Academy. A third-generation Alaskan, Katrina is attending medical school through an Air Force scholarship, and the couple intends to move home to Anchorage after completing their service.
The connection through the military drew the Davis family to Udall. “I knew Steven would be a fit for Tommy’s Express from the first interview,” says Tamara Davis. “His military experience, passion for Alaska, and authentic desire to better the local community showed he shares many values with our family and our company. We are excited to have him represent Tommy’s Express in Anchorage.”
