Automotive Parts Associates (APA) has returned from its 2024 Annual General Meeting. The event brought together over 200 APA shareholders, TruStar members and supplier partners to discuss collaborative efforts and future growth opportunities. The meeting was held from March 26-28 at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk in San Antonio, Texas.
The conference kicked off with a group welcome reception and Date Night, where a supplier takes a shareholder or member to dinner. The next day featured comprehensive updates on the status of the organization delivered by Steve Tucker, APA’s president, a welcome from Jim Holmquist, chairman of the board, and reports on product, finance, and marketing by Lee Rodgers, product director, Merle Bever, secretary treasurer, Cristy Hildebrandt, finance manager, and Jan Larson, director of marketing.
This was followed by the first of two productive one-on-one sessions among shareholders, members and suppliers.
The final day featured guest speakers Joe Stephan from Nexus North America, Ted Hughes and Behzad Rassouli from the AutoCare Association, Simeon Gutman from Morgan Stanley, and David Berg from Epicor, alongside the second one-on-one session.
On the final night, the group gathered for the awards night dinner at the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. After recognizing new shareholders and TruStar members, the following awards were presented to shareholders and suppliers:
Milestone Awards: AB&S (80 years), Brown & Sons Automotive (75 years), Wheeler Fleet Solutions (64 years), Monarch (55 years), G&H Import Auto Parts (50 years), All Euro Auto Parts Supply (30 years), and Value Plus Auto Parts (20 years);
Dan Freeman Excellence Award: Gene Bochinski with G&H Import Auto Parts;
Ambassador Award: Factory Motor Parts;
Distinguished OE Partner Award: Bosch;
Outstanding Marketing Partner Award: DRiV;
Technology Award: Nexpart;
Cornerstone Award: Mevotech, and;
Supplier of the Year Award: Denso.
“We are thrilled with the success of the 2024 Annual General Meeting,” said Tucker. “This event serves as a reminder of the power of collaboration and the potential for innovation when industry leaders come together with a shared vision. Looking ahead, APA remains committed to fostering a thriving community of automotive professionals dedicated to excellence and sustainable growth. Of course, I must thank all our attendees, sponsors, as well as our hardworking staff members. Together, we are allies for success! We can’t wait to see everyone at the 2025 Annual General Meeting in New Orleans, LA!”
