MIDLAND, MI — In Midland, MI, yesterday, the future of the aftermarket was represented with a shovel full of earth.

On Northwood University’s Michigan campus, aftermarket industry VIPs, university alumni, students and faculty gathered to observe the official groundbreaking for the construction of The Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies.

Caption: Northwood faculty, Sloan family members and GPI employees officially break ground for The Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies.

“This event is evidence that dreams do in fact come true,” said Dr. Tim Nash, Northwood’s provost and COO, as he thanked the many benefactors who attended the groundbreaking. A significant part of that dream can be directly credited to the Sloan family and the employees of General Parts International (GPI) and CARQUEST, who covered more than half of the building’s $6 million construction costs.

The building was named in honor of O. Temple Sloan, Jr., founder of GPI and CARQUEST, his brother, C. Hamilton Sloan, an early partner in GPI and their family members. Both Sloans, along with O. Temple Sloan, III, and other family members and GPI employees, attended the event.

Caption: O. Temple Sloan, III, flanked by family members and GPI employees, attended yesterday event.

According to Northwood President Keith Pretty, the building will create a new set of opportunities for the aftermarket studies program, the university and the aftermarket.

Caption: Northwood President Keith Pretty acknowledges benefactors in attendance at yesterday’s ground breaking ceremony.

The facility, scheduled to be completed in March, 2008, will house Northwood’s automotive aftermarket program. This unique four-year undergraduate dual major allows students to enroll in core industry courses in aftermarket manufacturing, heavy-duty marketing, aftermarket retail/wholesale management, supply chain management, lean distribution, logistics and current issues affecting the industry, as well as general education and strategic management courses. Additionally, students will complete an industry internship and create an operational business plan.

Other major contributors to the building fund to date include: Activant Solutions; Affinia Group; Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance; AMS Automotive; Andrew F. Anderson Family; ArvinMeritor, Inc.; AutoZone; Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association; Babcox Publications; Jesse Berger, Berman Scholarship Foundation; David Caracci; BWP Distributors; CARDONE Industries; Delphi Automotive Systems; David Dilley; Dr. David E. Fry; East-Penn Manufacturing Company; Federal-Mogul Corporation; Randall Foote; Ronald Friedman; Gene Gardner; Gates Corporation; The Greensheet; Grote Industries, Inc.; George Hopper; Kevin and Diane Judge; Dale Larson; Scott Marquiss; Roger McCollum; BD & JE McIntyre Foundation; Meineke Car Care Centers; Dr. Richard and Linda Morgan; Morse Automotive Group; Muffler Warehouse, Inc.; Dr. Timothy and Pamela Nash; Glenn Orr; Rowley Family; RPM Group; SBA-TLC, Inc.; Mort Schwartz; Standard Motor Products; Dr. William and Linda Stavropoulos; United Components; University of the Aftermarket Foundation; The Valvoline Company; John and Carol Washbish; Carol Whiting and N.A. Williams Company.