Posted: May 9, 2008

By Mark A. Phillips

MIDLAND , Mich. -- The automotive aftermarket is big business, Northwood University President Keith Pretty commented during Thursday’s dedication of the Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies. “In fact, it’s very big business,” he said, adding the industry’s annual revenues are approaching $300 billion. “This is bigger than the gross national product of many nations around the globe.”

And Northwood is an integral part of the equation to help keep the economic engine of the automotive aftermarket humming along, Pretty believes.

Thursday’s unveiling of the Sloan building in Midland, Mich., comes just 14 months after ground was broken. “Today, we’re celebrating a dream that’s come true,” Pretty told the industry leaders and other guests seated just outside the building. “We’re celebrating the partnership between Northwood University and this dynamic industry. We know we’re here today, thanks for the vision of the leaders of the aftermarket industry. These leaders and visionaries joined together to support Northwood University, our faculty, our administration and especially our students.”

The Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies is named in honor of O. Temple Sloan, Jr., founder of General Parts International, Inc. (GPI) and CARQUEST, his brother, C. Hamilton Sloan, an early partner in GPI, and their family members.

Construction began in March 2007 on what is now a 25,500 square-foot state-of-the-art education center. “The building we stand before today provides a home for university-level training for automotive aftermarket programs,” Pretty said. “And it’s right here that future leaders of this very important industry are going to get their education so they can lead the industry through this significant change that we know is coming ahead.”

The Sloan family and the employees of GPI and CARQUEST are responsible for just more than half of the $6 million needed to construction the building, according to the university.

“Congratulations to Northwood University and President Pretty on a job well done,” said Temple Sloan III. “This is truly a tribute to Northwood University and it’s a tribute to the aftermarket industry to see so many fine suppliers and distributors come together for a worthy cause and support an institution that has provided so much to our industry. This is our way for our industry to say thank you to Northwood University.

Pretty thanked the Sloan family for their donation. “Thank you Temple ,” Pretty said. “Thanks to you and your parents and aunts and uncles and your entire family for your generosity and commitment to our students, faculty and this facility.”

Highlights of the building include:

*A 3,600 square-foot atrium that serves as a focal point of the facility and was designed for large group gatherings

*Four tiered classrooms with seating capacities of 60 students per classroom on both the lower and upper levels

*Three traditional classrooms that accommodate 40 students, each on both the lower and upper levels

*An alumni lounge with a fireplace and a comfortable setting for small meetings and entertaining

*Conference room with seating for 10

*Six faculty offices

*A faculty reception area

*A two-story graduate-school-style auditorium with seating for 150 and the latest technology is located on the lower level, with access from both levels

*Traditional student lounge on the second level

*Executive boardroom complete with multi-media and seating for 20
*Two executive offices and reception area on the upper level.

Contributors to the building include:

Activant Solutions

Affinia Group

Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance

Aisin World Corporation

AMS Automotive

Mary Anderson & Family

ArvinMeritor, Inc.

Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association

AutoZone

Babcox Publications

Jesse and Tina Berger

Berman Scholarship Foundation

BWP Distributors, Inc.

David and Mary Carraci

CARDONE

CARQUEST Teammates

Delphi Automotive Systems

David and Robin Dilley

East-Penn Manufacturing Co.

Federal-Mogul Corp.

Greg and Kathryn Foote

Randall and Michelle Foote

Ronald Friedman

Dr. David & Claudia Fry

Gene and Diane Gardner

The Gates Rubber Co.

General Parts International, Inc.

The Greensheet

Grote Industries, Inc.

George Hopper

Kevin & Diane Judge

Dale and Marilyn Larson

Scott Marquiss

N.A. Williams

Kevin and Diane McCormick

BD & JE McIntyre Foundation

C.S. and Marion McIntyre Foundation

Meineke Car Care Centers

Dr. Richard & Linda Morgan

Morse Automotive Group

Muffler Warehouse, Inc.

Dr. Timothy and Pamela Nash

Glenn Orr

Paul & Peggy Rowley and Family

RPM Group

SBA-TLC, Inc.

Dr. Mort and Mickie Schwartz

Dr. O. Temple, Jr. & Carol Sloan

C. Hamilton & Ann Sloan

Standard Motor P rod ucts

Dr. William & Linda Stavropoulos

United Components, Inc.

University of the Aftermarket Foundation

The Valvoline Company

John & Carol Washbish

Gordon Whiting

Northwood University is a private, nonprofit, accredited university specializing in managerial and entrepreneurial education offering four-year degrees in a variety of enterprise fields.