The Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) has announced the selection of Jerry Biggers, retired from Genuine Parts Co. (GPC)/NAPA, as recipient of its 2017 MAPA Lifetime Service Award.
Created in 2010, the MAPA Lifetime Service Award is designed to honor the excellence of individuals in the automotive aftermarket industry who have made significant impacts in the industry and/or the association to qualify for consideration of MAPA’s Lifetime Service Award. The recipient must have/had an extensive career in the industry, contributed significantly to the automotive aftermarket industry in Michigan and made accomplishments within his or her local community.
Biggers started working for GPC in 1969 as a part-time employee while completing his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Virginia Tech. When he left to return to school, the general manager called Biggers into his office and asked him to come back and see him when he finished school. Upon graduation, Biggers did just that and in 1972 he joined the management trainee program. After successfully completing the program in 1974, he accepted his first management role as jobber sales and service manager, and in 1978 he was promoted to operations manager.
There were numerous promotions for Biggers in the years that followed: In 1979, he was named operations manager at NAPA Denver, 1981 director of operations at HQ, 1982 assistant to GPC chairman and CEO, 1983 assistant to division vice president at newly-formed Midwest Division, 1985 general manager at NAPA Stevens Point, 1987 general manager at new Columbia DC, followed by two more promotions as general manager in Richmond in 1992 and Grand Rapids in 1998. In 2007, he returned to HQ as vice president of operations. After deciding to go back to the field, Biggers returned to the general manager position at NAPA Grand Rapids in 2012. When an opportunity opened back up at NAPA Richmond in 2015, he jumped at the chance to return to Richmond to take over as general manager.
The company says that Biggers’ unparalleled performance and exemplary dedication over the years has contributed to GPC’s success. Biggers retired in October 2016, and now he and his wife Gayle look forward to the next phase of their lives and a well-earned retirement.
The MAPA Lifetime Service Award will be presented to Jerry Biggers during MAPA Industry Day 2017 being held on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the Holiday Inn Gateway Centre in Flint, Michigan.
