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O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

Automotive aftermarket retailFounded 1957
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded O'Reilly Automotive?

Charles F. O'Reilly, Charles H. O'Reilly · Founded 1957 · HQ today: Springfield, Missouri, United States

Who founded O'Reilly Automotive?

O'Reilly Automotive was founded by Charles F. O'Reilly, Charles H. O'Reilly in 1957. It is now led by Brad Beckham.

Founders
Charles F. O'Reilly, Charles H. O'Reilly
Founded
1957
Headquarters
Springfield, Missouri, United States
Number of founders
2
Current CEO
Brad Beckham (since 2024)
Where was O'Reilly Automotive founded?
O'Reilly Automotive was founded in Springfield, Missouri, United States in 1957.
When was O'Reilly Automotive founded?
O'Reilly Automotive was founded in 1957.
Who started O'Reilly Automotive?
O'Reilly Automotive was founded by Charles F. O'Reilly and Charles H. O'Reilly.
How old is O'Reilly Automotive?
O'Reilly Automotive is 69 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

Charles F. O'Reilly had spent decades selling auto parts for Link Motor Supply in Springfield, Missouri. In 1957, when the company tried to move him out, he and his son Charles H. 'Chub' O'Reilly opened their own store instead, with 13 employees and about $700,000 of first-year sales. The family grew it regionally, took it public in 1993 and expanded nationally with the 2008 CSK Auto deal. It was worth about $69.6 billion by market value on September 29, 2026.

Charles F. O'Reilly

Co-founder 1957

Background

Charles F. O'Reilly was a longtime auto parts salesman and manager at Link Motor Supply in Springfield, Missouri, before starting his own business.

Role at O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

Charles F. O'Reilly co-founded O'Reilly Automotive in 1957 with his son, Charles H. 'Chub' O'Reilly, after leaving Link Motor Supply. The first store in Springfield, Missouri, opened with 13 employees and about $700,000 of first-year sales. Charles F. O'Reilly was born in 1886.

Charles H. O'Reilly

Co-founder 1957

Background

Charles H. 'Chub' O'Reilly worked alongside his father at Link Motor Supply before the two started their own company.

Role at O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

Charles H. 'Chub' O'Reilly co-founded O'Reilly Automotive in 1957 and led its growth as a regional parts supplier serving both mechanics and walk-in customers. His children, including David, Larry and Charlie O'Reilly, later ran the company and took it public in 1993. Charles H. O'Reilly was born in 1914.

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Brad Beckham

Chief Executive Officer

2024 – Present

Beckham joined O'Reilly as a parts specialist in 1996, became Co-President in January 2023 and succeeded Greg Johnson as CEO on February 1, 2024. Under him O'Reilly posted $17.78B of 2025 sales and 6.0% comparable growth in Q2 2026.

Brent Kirby

President

2024 – Present

As Co-President, he acts as the absolute operational backbone of the company, fiercely maintaining the incredibly complex logistics network that defends O'Reilly against Amazon.

Greg Henslee

Executive Chairman

2021 – Present

Serving as CEO from 2005 to 2018 (and later Executive Chairman), he oversaw the company's absolute most explosive era of growth, cementing its legendary dual-market (DIFM and DIY) strategy.

Jeremy Fletcher

Chief Financial Officer

2019 – Present

As CFO, he steers the company's bulletproof balance sheet, ensuring it has the massive capital required to aggressively buy up smaller, failing regional auto parts chains.

Greg Johnson

Chief Executive Officer

2018 – 2024

Serving as CEO from 2018 to 2024, he maintained the company's absolute dominance of the 'Do-It-For-Me' (DIFM) professional mechanic market before retiring.

Keep researching O'Reilly Automotive

Who Founded O'Reilly Automotive? FAQ

Who founded O'Reilly Auto Parts?

O'Reilly Automotive was founded in 1957 in Springfield, Missouri, by Charles F. O'Reilly and his son Charles H. 'Chub' O'Reilly, both previously with Link Motor Supply.

How big was O'Reilly when it started?

The first store opened with 13 employees and generated about $700,000 of sales in its first year.

Who ran the company after the founders?

Chub O'Reilly's children, including David, Larry and Charlie O'Reilly, led the company through its growth into a regional chain and its 1993 NASDAQ listing.

Is the O'Reilly family still involved?

David O'Reilly serves as Executive Vice Chairman of the Board. Day-to-day leadership has passed to professional managers who rose through the company, including CEO Brad Beckham.

What culture did the founders leave behind?

O'Reilly's culture statement emphasizes customer service, hard work, honesty, expense control, teamwork and mutual respect, and the company still promotes most leaders from within.

What prompted Charles F. O'Reilly and Chub O'Reilly to strike out on their own in 1957?

Charles F. O'Reilly had worked for decades in the automotive parts business with Link Motor Supply in Missouri. When management proposed a corporate reorganization that would have sidelined Chub O'Reilly, father and son resigned to launch O'Reilly Automotive with 13 former colleagues and $50,000 in capital.

How did the original 13 employees shape the company's equity culture?

All 13 founding employees invested personal savings and received equity stakes in the original Springfield venture. This shared ownership established a legendary culture of hard work, thrift, and extreme customer dedication that persists across O'Reilly's workforce today.

What enduring cultural motto did Chub O'Reilly establish for store managers?

Chub O'Reilly instituted the corporate motto "Live the Culture" and emphasized that "nobody says no to a customer without finding the part." Store managers were empowered to source parts from rival suppliers if necessary to ensure customer satisfaction.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.