Pretty safe to say Iran Chima grew up in the family business. He was born a month after his parents started their Sacramento towing company, and as a kid, he insisted his bedroom was located on the side of the house facing the shop. That way he could hear the wreckers start up any time there was a call.

Humble beginnings

As immigrants, the elder Chimas intentionally kept things simple early on and concentrated on their “local” service area. They were fiscally responsible and performed as much of the work as they could themselves. Company growth was very measured, and capital improvements were not made without careful consideration.

“We kept a pretty low profile back then,” Ted said. “If we had the money, we did it. If we didn’t have the money, we didn’t do it. We were a very hands-on operation. It was very simple and tight-knit.”

“We had to make sure we could afford things back then,” Monica added. “We were old fashioned. That’s how we worked in those days. We learned everything as we went. We didn’t take any classes. It was that way for many years.”

Their conservative business model began to change after Iran became more involved in the operation and assumed more of a leadership role within the company. He built an online presence and worked to increase their market share in northern California, especially over the past 10 years. His dad said he moved the company “forward.”

“When Iran came on board, that’s when everything got out of the box,” he said, later joking they once advertised their company by placing stickers on pay phones. “Iran is more open minded. What we did back then, we couldn’t do now. We couldn’t have grown like we did. The internet has made a big difference in the towing industry. Anyone can find you now.”

“Iran really put us on the map,” Monica added. “Before, we were just doing local tows in small towns. He took us to a different level, and we can basically handle anything now.”

Solid work ethic

With an inherited passion for the business, Iran said he pretty much “expected” to join the family company full time once he finished schooling. He described the transition as a “natural progression,” and while his parents credit his vision for their growth and expansion, Iran said he appreciates the work ethic they passed down to him.

“The most important skill I’ve learned from my parents is if you want something done properly, do it yourself,” Iran said. “That’s the work ethic that they’ve had. That’s really translated to me and the amount of effort they put in. I have to mimic that effort as well. That’s really shown as we’ve grown as a family and the company itself in its second generation.”

“The towing business has been very good to us,” Ted acknowledged. “We like it, and we’ve been at it for more than 30 years now. We probably could have been better at taking some breaks along the way, but we just kept working at it.”

Chima’s Tow now operates from two locations in the greater Sacramento area. Supported by a team of dedicated employees, the company offers towing, recovery and transport services, and their signature red-and-white fleet features car carriers, light and medium duty wreckers as well as heavies and rotators.

Zip’s customer since 2018

A customer for five years now, Iran said “99 percent” of their current trucks has been purchased through Zip’s. Working closely with sales rep Eric Albertson, the Chimas have developed “a build platform” with Zip’s so each truck is built to their unique specifications, no matter what type or size of the equipment they order.

“What keeps us coming back to Zip’s is the level of customer service we get,” Iran said. “They listen to what we need and how we want it done. Zip’s can take our vision and make it a reality. Our equipment is very important to me. It’s all spec’d a certain way. We can make a phone call, and Zip’s can put it together fairly easily for us.”

While he said he loves all of the company’s trucks, Iran said his primary truck is the Kenworth 880 Century 1150 Rotator. It’s his personal ride, and he worked closely with Eric and the team at Zip’s so it met the requirements of his home state.

“All of them are really my favorite because they all have our name on them and they’re painted red and white, but this rotator was a special project that took two years to complete,” Iran said. “It was built specifically for California. California has a lot of challenges when it comes to weight laws and axle spacing. That was a real challenge getting that right.”

Training and networking

The Chimas do not believe in taking shortcuts. They make sure their trucks meet or exceed professional equipment standards, and they belong to several towing organizations, including the California Tow Truck Association (CTTA). Iran also works closely with the Emergency Roadside Service Coalition of America (ERSCA).

“Being an instructor for ERSCA has helped me be in the forefront of what comes out as far as industry training,” he said. “We get the information first and then pass that information onto other towers in the region. We are always updating our guys on the technology that comes along.”

Iran said employee training is very important for their company. It keeps everyone safe and helps with employee retention.

“My first goal is to make sure new employees understand the equipment they have and how to apply it to the job that they’re doing,” Iran said. “That could range from towing an electric vehicle all the way up to a rollover recovery. At the end of the day, they need to know the equipment that they have, and knowing how to utilize it is important.”

Iran said the recent growth in EVs is becoming the industry’s primary challenge at the moment.

“That’s what we’re dealing with right now nationwide,” he said. “It presents a shift in learning and dealing with that stuff. We have to start from scratch on how to tow them and how to deal with them. That translates to the office and staff as well as to what questions they need to ask when a call comes in and to the drivers and training them. It’s all fresh and new to us.”

Like they’ve done for the past 36 years, the Chimas will continue to adapt.

“In the towing industry itself, it’s really hard to predict much,” Iran said. “It’s a constantly changing industry. There are things that my parents did back in the day that probably wouldn’t work today and vice versa. The biggest thing we need to understand and keep in mind is that change is constant. You have to be willing to adapt to conditions.”