We are thrilled to share that Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers has been named the recipient of ATI’s 2024 Humanitarian Award, a recognition that goes far beyond business excellence. The award honors organizations that give back to their communities—and Silver Lake’s deep commitment to a values-driven, family-first culture made them a natural choice.
Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers has been a community favorite for decades, offering quality auto repair service since 1973, when Walter Garlock opened a two-bay garage in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Today, Silver Lake is owned by Walter’s sons, Dan and Darren Garlock, and has expanded to seven locations throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.
From the beginning, Silver Lake Auto has operated with a mindset of servant leadership. “We've always been a company that has partnered with the community however we can,” shared Dan Garlock, CEO of Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers. That commitment is not surface-level or sporadic—it’s deeply embedded in the company’s DNA and extends across every part of its operation.
Silver Lake is dedicated to supporting Lutheran schools in Wisconsin. Silver Lake supports the Teacher of Merit Award, a $10,000 grant awarded to exceptional teachers. Half the award supports classroom improvements, and the other half goes directly to the teacher as a thank you. “It’s kind of a win-win for both sides,” Dan explained. “The peers give a little bit of love and the person receiving it gets a little bit of love”.
Silver Lake is now in its third year of supporting the award at both a local high school and grade school. Even more powerfully, the initiative is designed to last: “After five years of investment, this will be able to continue to keep bleeding off money to support this in perpetuity so it will never end”.
Their support doesn’t stop at academics. The Garlock family and Silver Lake team are passionate advocates for music and fine arts programs—areas often underfunded in comparison to sports. “We found music as a need... we’ve made some financial investments there and we do a lot of volunteerism too in the schools” (04:18).
Silver Lake also supports a range of vital local healthcare causes, including the Lake Area Free Clinic. Founded in 2001, the Lake Area Free Clinic provides low-cost or free medical and dental care for those in need.
These aren’t just one-time donations. Silver Lake is fostering long-term relationships with the organizations they support. Dan emphasizes, “I've built a lot of relationships with the senior leadership in those organizations... these are strong community leaders who I can surround myself with as trusted advisors”.
At the heart of Silver Lake Auto’s growth and reputation is an unwavering dedication to its core values. “We really spent a lot of time on what Silver Lake Auto's mission, vision, and values are. That becomes very magnetic for us,” Dan explained.
These values don’t live on a wall or in a handbook—they are lived every day, from how decisions are made to how team members interact with each other and with the community. This clear and consistent value system acts as both a beacon and a filter: it attracts like-minded individuals who thrive in a service-first environment and naturally deters those who don’t align.
Dan emphasized that this intentional culture-building has far-reaching effects: “We don’t give expecting to get things back. We just know that it’ll be a blessing to others... and they want to help support us in return”. That authenticity builds a powerful cycle of trust and reciprocity. It also strengthens customer loyalty—people gravitate toward businesses that reflect their own values, especially in a world filled with noise, division, and superficial promises.
In today’s uncertain climate, Dan noted that one of the most valuable things Silver Lake can offer is predictability. “They know what they signed up for, they know what they're going to get... values are one of the key mechanisms that make us predictable”. And in a time when predictability and integrity are often in short supply, that clarity becomes a true competitive advantage.
As Silver Lake has grown—adding new locations, new employees, and new layers of complexity—the commitment to their founding values has never wavered. That said, Dan is the first to acknowledge that preserving culture amid growth isn’t easy. “Culture gets tackled very differently as you scale and you grow. Keeping onto the small company feel, I hate to say it, is kind of a futile game”.
Instead of resisting change, Dan has leaned into a model of intentional evolution. The organization allows each location to develop its own personality while ensuring that core values are the common thread. “At the end of the day, we are all still part of the Silver Lake Auto family”.
This cultural stewardship is not an afterthought—it’s a full-time leadership focus. “It becomes basically a full-time facilitation of what I do—owning the culture of this organization, helping steer the ship and making sure we're throttling in the right places to make sure that we're adhering to our values”.
Through regular staff meetings, annual family events, and empowering store leaders to be the guardians of culture, Silver Lake has created a scalable system for maintaining its identity. It’s not about micromanaging culture—it’s about setting clear expectations, confronting misalignments head-on, and investing in leadership that embodies the mission.
As Dan powerfully stated: “Anything you don’t confront, you validate”. That philosophy underscores a deep accountability that permeates all levels of the organization.
The ATI Humanitarian Award is not just recognition for Silver Lake Auto—it’s a reminder of what’s possible when businesses are built around values, people, and community, not just numbers. Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers has proven that integrity, generosity, and service aren’t just good ethics—they’re good business.
Their story is a blueprint for growing with purpose, leading with heart, and giving back without expecting anything in return. And in doing so, they’ve built not only a successful company—but a lasting legacy.