AAM Group Names Outstanding Vendors, Contributors At Annual Meeting

The AAM Group presented awards to eight manufacturing partners at its recent Annual Membership Meeting held in Kingsport, Tennessee. Highlighted by the Partnership Award and the Impact Award, the categories also included Data Quality (new for 2019), Excellence in Manpower, Excellence in Marketing, Excellence in Shipping, Fastest Growing Vendor, Product Innovation and Profit Generator.

AAM also named six recipients of the Ambassador Award, given to key employees of partner vendors who provided unique and extraordinary support of member distributors.

Vendor Winners
CURT Group accepted the prestigious Partnership Award (photo), which honors the vendor that demonstrated outstanding overall performance across all the award categories.

The Impact Award (photo) went to WESTIN Automotive for its tremendous contributions to the success and growth of AAM headquarters, members and jobbers.

Presented with the inaugural Data Quality Award (photo), Air Lift earned special recognition for the quality and completeness of its product data.

Truck Hero accepted the Excellence in Manpower Award (photo) for fielding the most robust outside sales presence, including actively maintaining strong relationships with retailers and warehouses. AAM vendors under the Truck Hero umbrella include Alloy USA, BAK Industries, BedRug, Extang, Husky Liners, Lund International, N-FAB, Omix-ADA, Retrax, Rugged Liner, Rugged Ridge, TruXedo and UnderCover.

The Excellence in Marketing Award (photo), which honors the vendor that exhibited the best overall marketing concepts and execution, went to Big Country Truck Accessories.

The Excellence in Shipping Award (photo) went to ReadyLIFT, which demonstrated the best overall purchase order fulfillment rate.

Ranch Hand took home the Fastest Growing Vendor Award (photo) for achieving the largest sales growth as measured as a percentage over the previous year.

CURT won the Product Innovation Award (photo) for its Echo brake controller, the world’s first and only wireless, portable, app-connected brake controller.

The Profit Generator Award (photo), presented to Lund International, recognized the manufacturing partner that generated the greatest opportunity for profit across distribution and retail.

Ambassador Award Winners
Ambassador Awards went to Tommy Fritsch from Lund International, Jim Hairston from PerTronix, BJ Leanse from Big Country/Go Rhino, Shane McNallie from CURT, Austin Neal from Iron Cross Automotive and Lee Robinson from Hedman Hedders.

Federated Auto Parts Distributors announced it is entering into a collaboration with the Association of Independent Oil Distributors (AIOD) – one it said will focus on mutual benefits for the respective members.

“Federated is constantly looking at ways to improve value for all constituents and this agreement provides that,” said Sue Godschalk, president of Federated. “This collaboration provides added volume and opportunities for our suppliers, new partners for our members, and added supply points and products for shop customers. We have enjoyed working closely with several AIOD members in the past and this agreement will expand and create further opportunities for both Federated and AIOD.”