CHICAGO — In honor of his many achievements in education, Jim John, instructor and chair of the Automotive Aftermarket Management program at Northwood University in Midland, Mich., has been recognized with the Mort Schwartz Excellence in Education Award. John was recognized yesterday in Chicago during the 2009 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium.

The Mort Schwartz Excellence in Education Award is given annually to the person, institution or company that best represents the automotive aftermarket in the education arena. The award was named in honor of Mort Schwartz, founder of the annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium, which uses proceeds from each year’s event to fund a scholarship program for students pursuing education and careers in the automotive aftermarket.
    
Nominations are accepted and evaluated by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association’s Education Committee. Nominees are considered for their work and dedication to establishing a new aftermarket education program, advancing an existing aftermarket educational program or outstanding promotion of an existing aftermarket educational program.

John has been associated with the automotive aftermarket for more than 39 years, and has worked for such companies as the Champion Spark Plug Co., NAPA and Triad Systems Corporation (Activant). John is a graduate of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) University Automotive Aftermarket Professional Program, and has served on the Scholarship Committee of SEMA and the AAIA Education Committee.