Page 36 October 2011 <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> www.partsandpeople.com
<strong>People</strong> & Places SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA The California/Nevada/Arizona Automotive Wholesalers Association (CAWA) Annual Membership Dinner and Scholarship Fundraiser (sponsored by Motorcar <strong>Parts</strong> of America) will be Oct. 30 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas from 6-9 p.m. The CAWA Board of Directors Committee Meetings will be Nov. 17-19 at the Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach. For details about the meetings, contact Julie Snyder at 800-332-2292, ext. 2, or at programs@cawa.org. Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. in Cypress is sponsoring Cornell University athletics. Toyo Tire signage will be seen around the Ithaca, N.Y., campus in association with sports including football, men’s hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s lacrosse. Edelbrock in Torrance announced that QA1, makers of shocks, springs, and other tubular suspension products, has acquired its line of suspension products. “Our suspension products will be a great addition to QA1’s current line and will give their customers a larger selection of highquality components to choose from,” said Vic Edelbrock, Edelbrock chairman. Michael Antonelli of Vantage Marketing Global Inc. in Grand Island, N.Y., has been appointed to the CAWA Board of Directors. Michael Antonelli is now a member of the CAWA Board of Directors, representing Vantage Marketing Global Inc. “Michael Antonelli has worked for more than 35 years in the automotive industry with GM and Ford, and, in 1999, founded Vantage Marketing Global Inc.,” said Rodney K. Pierini, CAWA president and CEO. The used OEM wheel company, 1-800EveryRim.com in Pico Rivera, has expanded its warehouse to 30,000 square feet, more than tripling its wheel supply space. “With a larger and more efficient facility to house a growing inventory of OEM factory wheels, our customers will definitely notice a difference,” President Billy Eordekian said. The Care Shop in Chino and Fitzgeralds Auto Care Center in Costa Mesa have earned certification as Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) Approved Auto Repair (AAR) facilities. “The certification means the repair facilities have met the AAA-AAR program criteria for technician certification and customer satisfaction,” said Dave Skaien, AAR program development manager. “The AAR program examines all aspects of a repair shop’s operation and awards approval to only the best shops in the business.” For the second consecutive year, The AAA National Service Provider of Excellence awards for top performance by roadside service towing contractors went to three Southern California towing companies, including Redondo Beach Towing in Redondo Beach, winner of the gold award; Mandic Motors in Huntington Beach, silver award winner; and H.A.R. Towing and Transport in Reseda, which took the bronze award. The Automotive Distribution Network (ADN) has added Automotive <strong>Parts</strong> Wholesale Inc. (APW) in San Fernando to its national network. “The signing of growing companies such as APW is indicative of the Network’s commitment to expanding the <strong>Parts</strong> Plus identity into thriving marketplaces across the country,” said Mike Lambert, ADN president. “APW joined <strong>Parts</strong> Plus to bolster its efforts as the company continues to expand its footprint and strengthen its presence in the two-step market,” said Bobby Hilo, APW operations manager. Bossco International in San Diego, makers of all-in-one portable illuminators, has announced that Davis and Associates will be representing the company’s lineup of products. “I was sold on Bossco products from the start,” said Don Davis, CEO of Davis and Associates. “As I go out into the market place, I see all kinds of applications where this innovative line can be used, and I’m sure there are more ideas that I have not yet thought of.” Clifford Wright, inventor and CEO of Bossco, said, “We are not only thrilled but honored to have Davis and The used OEM wheel company, 1-800EveryRim.com, in Pico Rivera, has expanded its warehouse space to 30,000 square feet. PHOTO BY ART WOLFE Bobby Hilo, Automotive <strong>Parts</strong> Wholesale (APW) operations manager, says he looks forward to expanding the company’s presence in the two-step market by adding <strong>Parts</strong> Plus. Associates representing our company. Their success with major brands speaks volumes.” Elite Worldwide in Rancho Santa Fe announced that certified service consultant Doris Barnes is the company’s newest sales trainer. Bob Cooper, president of Elite Worldwide, said Barnes will use her experience as a service consultant at one of America’s premier Mercedes- Benz dealerships to help service advisors increase their sales and CSI scores. “While with Mercedes-Benz, she maintained a Master-level Doris Barnes, a certified service consultant, is now a sales trainer at Elite Worldwide. certification and was named AMG specialist,” Cooper said. “She was also selected by management to train other Mercedes-Benz employees. It is truly an honor to have a professional such as Doris Barnes join our Elite team.” The California New Car Dealers Scholarship Foundation has awarded $41,475 in scholarships to 103 California students enrolled in post-secondary automotive technology or automotive management programs for the 2011-2012 school year, said Doug Fuller, owner of Fuller Ford in Chula Vista and chairman of the California New Car Dealers Scholarship Foundation. compiled by Dick DeLoach NATIONAL SEMA Vice President of Events and Communications Peter MacGillivray said 528 of more than 2,000 companies exhibiting at the 2011 SEMA Show are first-time exhibitors. He said the majority of the first-time exhibitors are restyling, racing and performance, and truck segments. Complete show information including a complete exhibitors list may be found at: www.SEMAshow.com. Polk has renewed its corporate sponsorship of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) for 2012. Polk has been the corporate sponsor of GAAS since 2003. GAAS 2012 is scheduled for May 16-17 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare near Chicago. Polk will continue to present the Polk Inventory Efficiency Awards at GAAS in 2012. The annual awards recognize and reward outstanding aftermarket companies for process improvements in inventory and supply chain efficiency. Two companies were honored with this year’s awards: Veyance Technologies and Automotive <strong>Parts</strong> Headquarters Inc. (APH). Snap-on Inc. has announced the official grand opening of the IdeaForge, a multimedia conference center in the Innovation Works facility at the company’s Kenosha, Wis., campus. The opening was presided over by the Snap-on Chairman and CEO Nick Pinchuk. More than 600 Snap-on associates and retirees participated, as well as state and local officials including U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis. IdeaForge will help the company seek new ideas and fashion them into products and services. The venue has several defined areas, including the option to accommodate different-sized groups and events, all with audiovisual capabilities. The 7,000-squarefoot, 600-capacity facility is the third piece Continued on page 38 From l., Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman; retired Snap-on CEO Robert Cornog; current Snap-on Chairman and CEO Nick Pinchuk; daughter in-law of Snap-on founder Joseph Johnson, Mary Johnson; U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; Johnson’s grandson and Mary Johnson’s son, Greg Johnson; retired CEO Jack Michaels; and Alderman Ray Misner cut the ribbon at the Snap-on IdeaForge grand opening. <strong>Parts</strong> & <strong>People</strong> October 2011 Page 37
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