AutoZone vs O'Reilly Automotive: Founders, CEOs and History
AutoZone was founded in 1979 by J.R. 'Pitt' Hyde III and is led by Philip B. Daniele. O'Reilly Automotive was founded in 1957 by Charles F. O'Reilly, Charles H. O'Reilly and is led by Brad Beckham.
Company facts
AutoZone
- Founded
- 1979
- Headquarters
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Current CEO
- Philip B. Daniele
- Employees
- 130,000
O'Reilly Automotive
- Founded
- 1957
- Headquarters
- Springfield, Missouri, United States
- Current CEO
- Brad Beckham
- Employees
- 95,822
Founders
AutoZone
J.R. 'Pitt' Hyde III
AutoZone was founded in 1979 by Joseph R. 'Pitt' Hyde III, and its origins are intertwined with the wholesale grocery industry of the American South. Hyde was the grandson of J.R.
O'Reilly Automotive
Charles F. O'Reilly
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 H. O'Reilly
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.
CEOs and their tenures
AutoZone
- J.R. 'Pitt' Hyde III1979–1997
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Hyde was running Malone & Hyde, his family's Memphis wholesale grocery business, when he opened the first Auto Shack store in Forrest City, Arkansas on July 4, 1979 as its auto parts division.
Source - John Adams1997–2001
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Adams became chairman and chief executive in 1997 when founder Pitt Hyde retired, and ran the company through its most acquisitive year.
Source - Steve Odland2001–2005
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Odland was named chairman, president and chief executive in January 2001 and held the roles until March 2005, when he resigned to become chairman and chief executive of Office Depot.
Source - William C. Rhodes III2005–2024
Executive Chairman; Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Rhodes, an accounting graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin with an MBA from the University of Memphis, worked as a manager at Ernst & Young before joining AutoZone in 1994 and rising to president and CEO in 2005, a role he held for nearly 19 years…
Source - Philip B. Daniele III2024–present
Chief Executive Officer
Philip B. Daniele III has served as president and chief executive officer since January 2, 2024.
Source
O'Reilly Automotive
- Greg Johnson2018–2024
Chief Executive Officer
Retired as CEO effective January 31, 2024, when Brad Beckham succeeded him.
Source - Jeremy Fletcher2019–present
Chief Financial Officer
Oversees finance, capital allocation and the share repurchase program.
Source - Greg Henslee2021–present
Executive Chairman
CEO from 2005 to 2018, including the 2008 CSK Auto acquisition; Executive Chairman since 2021.
Source - Brad Beckham2024–present
Chief Executive Officer
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.
Source - Brent Kirby2024–present
President
Joined O'Reilly in 2018 from Lowe's; oversees store operations and sales.
Source
Timeline: AutoZone and O'Reilly Automotive side by side
1957O'Reilly Automotive
First Store Opens
The O'Reilly family opened the first O'Reilly Auto Parts store in Springfield, Missouri.
1979AutoZone
Founding of Auto Shack
J.R. 'Pitt' Hyde III opens the first Auto Shack store in Forrest City, Arkansas on July 4, 1979 as the auto parts division of Malone & Hyde, his family's Memphis wholesale grocery business. First-day sales total US$300.
1983AutoZone
100th store opens
Auto Shack opens its 100th store, in Weslaco, Texas, four years after the first. The chain reaches 190 locations in 13 states by 1984.
1984AutoZone
Management buyout with KKR
Malone & Hyde, including its Auto Shack division and its 194 stores in 13 states, is taken private in a management buyout involving Hyde and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
1986AutoZone
Spin-off, Duralast and Loan-A-Tool
Auto Shack is spun off from Malone & Hyde as its own company with Hyde and president Peter Formanek in charge. The Duralast brand launches with alternators and starters, and the Loan-A-Tool program begins. Radio Shack sues for trademark infringement.
1987AutoZone
Rebranding to AutoZone
After Radio Shack wins its trademark case on appeal, the company announces it will rename itself AutoZone, changing signage and packaging across 459 stores in 16 states.
1991AutoZone
Initial public offering
Hyde and KKR take the company public in April 1991 on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AZO. KKR holds a majority of the stock at first and begins selling down by 1993.
1993O'Reilly Automotive
NASDAQ Listing
O'Reilly became publicly traded under the ticker ORLY.
1995AutoZone
1,000th store and Duralast batteries
AutoZone opens its 1,000th store, in Louisville, Kentucky, and launches the Duralast and Duralast Gold batteries. It ends the year with 1,143 stores in 26 states.
1996AutoZone
Acquisition of ALLDATA
AutoZone buys ALLDATA, an Elk Grove, California provider of automotive diagnostic and repair information, in a stock deal valued at about US$56 million, and launches its website the same year.
1998AutoZone
Chief Auto Parts acquisition
AutoZone completes its roughly US$280 million purchase of Chief Auto Parts on June 29, 1998, adding more than 550 stores, close to 400 of them in California, and takes the leading share of that market.
1998AutoZone
First store outside the United States
AutoZone opens its first international store in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico in December 1998, after a year in which it also bought Auto Palace, TruckPro and Express stores from Pep Boys.
1998O'Reilly Automotive
Merged with Hi/LO Auto Supply
O'Reilly Automotive merged with Hi/LO Auto Supply in January 1998.
2001AutoZone
New chief executive and 3,000th store
Steve Odland is named chairman and chief executive in January 2001, replacing John Adams. AutoZone opens its 3,000th store in Cicero, Illinois in May and sells its TruckPro division in December.
2001O'Reilly Automotive
Acquired Mid-State Automotive Distributors
O'Reilly Automotive acquired Mid-State Automotive Distributors in October 2001.
2005AutoZone
Bill Rhodes becomes chief executive
William C. Rhodes III is named president and chief executive in March 2005 after Steve Odland leaves for Office Depot, with founder Pitt Hyde returning as interim non-executive chairman. AutoZone opens its first Puerto Rico store in Bayamon.
2005O'Reilly Automotive
Acquired Midwest Automotive Distributors
O'Reilly Automotive acquired Midwest Automotive Distributors in May 2005.
2008O'Reilly Automotive
CSK Auto Acquisition
O'Reilly acquired CSK Auto and expanded its national store footprint.
2012AutoZone
Brazil, Alaska and AutoAnything
AutoZone enters Brazil with a store in Sao Paulo, opens its 5,000th store in Wasilla, Alaska, its 49th state, and buys online accessories retailer AutoAnything in December.
2018AutoZone
Divestitures and founder leaves the board
AutoZone sells Interamerican Motor Corporation to Parts Authority and AutoAnything to Kingswood Capital in February 2018, refocusing on stores and hubs. Founder Pitt Hyde announces in October that he will step down from the board.
2024AutoZone
Leadership transition to Phil Daniele
Philip B. Daniele III becomes president and chief executive officer on January 2, 2024, succeeding William C. Rhodes III, who becomes executive chairman after nearly 19 years as chief executive.
2024O'Reilly Automotive
Brad Beckham Became CEO
Brad Beckham became Chief Executive Officer after a long O'Reilly career that began in store operations.
2025O'Reilly Automotive
$17.782B FY2025 Net Sales
O'Reilly reported $17.782 billion of net sales and $2.538 billion of net income for FY2025.
2026AutoZone
First year above US$20 billion of sales
AutoZone reports net sales of US$20.34 billion for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2026, up 7.4 percent, with net income of US$2.57 billion, total company same store sales up 4.5 percent, a record 374 new stores and 8,031 stores at year end, including 172 meg…
Acquisitions
AutoZone
- Interamerican Motor Corporation2014Undisclosed
- AutoAnything2012Undisclosed
- Auto Palace1998$55M
- Chief Auto Parts1998$280M
- ALLDATA1996$56M
O'Reilly Automotive
- Vast-Auto Distribution (Groupe Del Vasto)2024Undisclosed
- Mayasa Auto Parts2019Undisclosed
- CSK Auto2008Undisclosed
- Midwest Automotive Distributors2005Undisclosed
- Mid-State Automotive Distributors2001Undisclosed
- Hi/LO Auto Supply1998Undisclosed
Questions about AutoZone vs O'Reilly Automotive
Who is the CEO of AutoZone, Inc. and O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.?
AutoZone, Inc. is led by Philip B. Daniele and O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. is led by Brad Beckham. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was AutoZone, Inc. founded vs O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.?
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. was founded in 1957 — 22 years before AutoZone, Inc., which was founded in 1979. O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger AutoZone, Inc..
How many employees does AutoZone, Inc. have compared to O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.?
AutoZone, Inc. employs approximately 130,000 people, while O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. employs approximately 95,822. AutoZone, Inc. has the larger workforce at 130,000 employees, compared to O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.'s 95,822. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are AutoZone, Inc. and O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. headquartered?
Both AutoZone, Inc. and O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded AutoZone, Inc. and O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.?
AutoZone, Inc. was founded by J.R. 'Pitt' Hyde III. O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. was founded by Charles F. O'Reilly, Charles H. O'Reilly.
Which company has a longer operating history — AutoZone, Inc. or O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.?
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. has been operating for approximately 69 years, making it the more established of the two companies. AutoZone, Inc. has been in operation for around 47 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the AutoZone vs O'Reilly Automotive overview