BENICIA, Calif. – Ken Walker has joined 1-800 Radiator & A/C as non-executive vice chairman and as a member of the company’s board of directors. 1-800-Radiator & A/C is a leading distributor of aftermarket automotive cooling parts in North America. The company has 220 locations – most of them franchised – serving every major market in the U.S. and Canada.
"I am honored to be asked by 1-800-Radiator and its management team to look to the future. They have obviously already established themselves in both automotive distribution and franchising as innovators. I look forward to helping the team shape its future growth," Walker said.
Walker recently retired from his position as chairman and CEO of Driven Brands Inc., parent company of Meineke Car Care Centers, Maaco Franchising Inc., Econo Lube and Tune Inc., Aero-Colours Inc., AutoQual USA, Drive N’ Style and Tortal.net. Walker joined Meineke as president and CEO in 1996 after serving nearly four years as president and CEO of Parts Inc., a distributor of automotive parts and supplies with distribution facilities and stores covering 24 states. Prior to his position with Parts Inc., Walker spent 17 years in similar businesses. Before entering the automotive aftermarket, Walker was a manager and CPA with Arthur Young and Co. in Fort Worth, Texas.
Walker has been a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) Board of Directors since 2002, and member of the IFA Executive Committee since 2007. He is currently a member of the World President’s Organization and has served as chairman of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA). He has been an instructor for many AWDA seminars and is a recipient of the AWDA Memorial Scholarship and Pursuit of Excellence Award. Walker served nine years as a member of the board of directors of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association with an active role on the Government Affairs Committee – and is also a prior board member of the Automotive Hall of Fame.
CEO Mike Rippey commented, "Ken’s background in both the automotive aftermarket and in franchising complements our business perfectly. We are very excited to work with Ken to continue the company’s penetration into additional auto parts categories and franchise opportunities. We all have tremendous respect for Ken and are all very fortunate to have him with us."
