Last Week at AAPEX: Fred Bunting Receives Art Fisher Award

AWDA presented the 2007 Art Fisher Memorial Scholarship Award to Fred A. Bunting in recognition of his passion for training and education. Bunting received this honor during AWDA’s general session, held last Sunday night in Las Vegas. The Art Fisher Memorial Scholarship Award is presented annually to an aftermarket company or individual that demonstrates outstanding commitment to education and training, either within their own companies or throughout the industry. Given in memory of former AWDA chairman Art Fisher, the award grants substantial scholarships in the name of the award winner to two students enrolled in the automotive aftermarket management program at Northwood University.

LAS VEGAS — AWDA presented the 2007 Art Fisher Memorial Scholarship Award to Fred A. Bunting in recognition of his passion for training and education. Bunting received this honor during AWDA’s general session, held last Sunday night in Las Vegas.

The Art Fisher Memorial Scholarship Award is presented annually to an aftermarket company or individual that demonstrates outstanding commitment to education and training, either within their own companies or throughout the industry. Given in memory of former AWDA chairman Art Fisher, the award grants substantial scholarships in the name of the award winner to two students enrolled in the automotive aftermarket management program at Northwood University.

At left: Fred Bunting accepting the Art Fisher Memorial Scholarship Award.

Bunting is the founder and chairman of Auto-Wares Inc. Group of Companies headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. Auto-Wares is a full-line, full-service, full-program distributor servicing more than 600 jobbers. The company employs more than 1,500 people who together operate 336 Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper stores and 630 Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Centers.

For many service professionals in the Michigan region, a high point of the year is the Auto-Wares Tech Expo. Auto-Wares holds two of these events annually in Milwaukee, WI, and Grand Rapids MI. The 10-year-old event is tailored exclusively to professional technicians in automotive, heavy duty and PBE specialties. Last year, more than 3,000 techs visited Tech Expo and attended more than 4,800 training classes.

The success of Tech Expo has garnered the attention of many others in the aftermarket industry. Bunting believes that the more training our industry provides to technicians, the better it is for everyone. He has freely offered the secrets of his success and, in 2006, even granted AAIA permission to duplicate, brand and distribute instructional DVDs that provide other aftermarket companies with the how-to’s for hosting their own training events.

“Without a doubt, this program goes above and beyond in the pursuit of excellence in training and education in the automotive aftermarket,” said Larry Pavey of Federated Auto Parts in presenting the award. “It is a great pleasure to honor Fred Bunting, the driving force behind this outstanding effort.”