CHICAGO – R. L. Polk & Co. has renewed its corporate sponsorship of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) for 2011. Polk has been the corporate sponsor of GAAS since 2003.

GAAS 2011 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare near Chicago.

“I am excited to announce that our longtime partnership with R. L. Polk & Co. continues,” said Dave Caracci, chairman of GAAS. “I appreciate Polk's renewed commitment to our event that helps educate our industry's leaders and also provides scholarship funds for students who want to pursue careers in the aftermarket.”

Founded in 1996, the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) has become the premier industry conference for senior-level aftermarket executives. The net proceeds from the event go toward funding industry scholarships. In 2010, 86 U.S. and 8 Canadian students who plan careers in the automotive aftermarket received GAAS Scholarships to help get their industry careers started. In the 14 years of the program, more than 1,500 students have received aid totaling more than $1,500,000.

Mark Seng, vice president, R. L. Polk & Co., added, “We are pleased to extend our support as the corporate sponsor of GAAS. The symposium is an important opportunity for top managers in the aftermarket to expand their knowledge base and learn the latest business practices from top experts. GAAS is the single greatest opportunity each year for industry education, and we are proud to be associated with this prestigious event.”

Under the agreement, R. L. Polk & Co. will present the prestigious Polk Inventory Efficiency Award at GAAS 2011. This is the seventh year for the awards, which recognize outstanding aftermarket companies for process improvements relative to inventory efficiency. Winners of these awards will have demonstrated a positive impact on one of the largest problems in the aftermarket — inventory efficiency. For more information on the awards, visit http://usa.polk.com/Industries/AfterMkt/aftmkt_ie_award_2005.htm.

For more information on GAAS 2011, visit www.globalsymposium.org.
 
Details about the GAAS scholarship program are available at www.automotivescholarships.com.