CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The home of NASCAR seems to be an apropos setting for this year’s AASA Vision Conference, organized under the theme of "Winning in the Aftermarket … The Chase for Innovation."
 
The day-long members-only event, taking place today, is being bookended by various AASA council and market segment meetings, held both yesterday and on Thursday, and kicked off with a welcome reception and networking event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Experience last night.
 
This eighth annual event began with opening remarks from AASA President and COO Bill Long, followed by a presentation by the former head of AASA, and current President and CEO of MEMA, AASA’s parent association, Steve Handschuh. Handschuh recognized a major MEMA milestone – the association’s 110th anniversary – noting the unprecedented changes taking place in the industry today.
 
"It’s an exciting time to be in our industry, but it is not for the faint of heart," Handschuh said. "There’s going to be some challenges, decisions that CEOs and senior leadership across this great industry of ours are going to have to make. And, in many cases, they’ll have to bet the farm that we’re making the right decisions. The opportunities are there, but the ability to adapt to the changes and recognize them for what they are, is a matter of great concern."
 
With events such as the AASA Vision Conference, the association hopes to help its members prepare for the challenges Handschuh alluded to. The Vision Conference today will feature panel discussions and presentations covering such topics as winning through innovation, industry trends with respect to digital integration of the automotive parts and service channel, the global economy, legislative issues, training, technology and more. Stay tuned tomorrow for more highlights from the event.