Multi Parts announced the SPARK 2017 Guiding Lights. The group of 18 aftermarket professionals is a vital component of the 2017 SPARK Initiative, serving as both personal guides and liaisons to students attending AAPEX, being held Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Las Vegas.
“It’s not enough for the next generation to merely see our industry on display at AAPEX,” said Multi Parts President Brian Cohn. “Every SPARK participant should leave Las Vegas having been included and engaged. Guiding Lights are a crucial factor in ensuring this is the case. Year after year, it’s the Guiding Lights who spend the lion’s share of time with our students. They help them connect the dots and see clearly their opportunities and appropriate next steps to enter and thrive within our industry.”
Ten students, selected by Multi Parts for their interest in pursuing careers in the core business areas of the automotive aftermarket, shadow Guiding Lights throughout their time at SPARK 2017 and during the AAPEX show. Guiding Lights offer students a personal introduction to the industry, designed to broaden the students’ understanding of what aftermarket professionals do and how they can pursue similar career paths.
The SPARK 2017 Guiding Lights are:
Drew Conkling
Product Marketing Manager, Gates Corp.
Ira Davis
President, AutoFocus Consulting & Research LLC
General Manager, Alliance of Independent Manufacturers
Kyle Freund
Marketing Manager, KYB Americas Corp.
Martin Gold
President, Gold n’ Brown Consulting
Julian Hentze
Sales and Marketing Director, Global Parts Distributors
Mike Hosch
Director of Sales, Redline Detection
Ted Hughes
Marketing Manager, MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.
Kevin Judge
Vice President, Sales and Marketing – Automotive Aftermarket
NTN Bearing Corp. of America
Brandon Kight
Vice President – marketing, MotoRad
Judy Love
Regional Marketing Manager – North America, Schaeffler Group USA
Meagan Moody
Marketing Communications Manager, ZF Services
Jon Owens, MAAP
National Sales Manager, Epicor Software
Mike Palm
Vice President of Marketing and Sales, CRP Automotive
Zack Parker
CEO, Redline Detection
Beth Skove
Director of Marketing, Valeo Service USA & Canada
Ryan Smith
Sales and Marketing Manager, Cloyes Gear and Products Inc.
Vic Tarasik
Major Accounts Director, RLO Training
John Zochert
General Manager of Product, NGK Spark Plugs (USA) Inc.
