TEQUESTA, Fla. – The Executive Committee of the Aftermarket Foundation has hired Joel Ayres, an industry veteran of more than 30 years, to serve as the foundation’s first executive director. Ayres most recently served as vice president of sales and marketing with TAKIT Inc. of Medford, Ore.
In announcing the hiring of Ayres, Foundation Chairman Bob Hirsch commented, “The foundation could not be more pleased than to have someone of Joel’s caliber lead us into the next phase of our journey providing care and financial assistance to industry people affected by hardship. The need for our services has never been greater, and this is the first time in our nearly 60 year history that we’ve had a full time director solely dedicated to enabling us to help more people and drive more giving. This is an exciting time indeed.”
Until now, the foundation has been led by a voluntary board of industry dignitaries, with various leaders holding the chairman’s position throughout its history.
Ayres’ hiring was the culmination of an exhaustive search to find a leader who possessed a broad-scale network of industry contacts and had the philanthropic experience necessary to manage the intensity of giving that the foundation initiates and oversees.
“As soon as I became aware of this position, I felt it was my calling,” Ayres said. “All my life I’ve had a passion for the automotive aftermarket and for charitable efforts, and this was a chance to combine the two. I’m honored the foundation chose me as their first, full-time executive, and are entrusting me to lead our philanthropic efforts and expand our reach and help more people. The need is great.”
In addition to his prolific aftermarket career, which he began at an early age, Ayres’ work in charity is equally impressive. From co-founding the start of the Big Brothers chapter in Northeastern Indiana and being a Big Brothers volunteer, to being a volunteer at the Adam Petty Victory Junction camp, to co-founding and serving as the first chairman of SEMA Cares, Ayres has a long resume of charitable activism. Along the way, Ayres also has been named the SEMA Person of the Year, has been recognized by Trucking Times magazine for his significant contributions to the truck accessory market, and was given an award by HeartGallery of Sacramento for his tireless work contributing to adoptions.
“Joel is a unique individual. Clearly, he’s a successful business person, yet he’s been equally effective in initiating and leading so many philanthropic efforts,” said Ross Kogel Jr., president of Tire Wholesalers Inc. and chairman of the foundation’s search committee who, along with independent search firm Vetted Solutions LLC, were tasked with finding the foundation’s first executive director. “This Foundation has done amazing work for almost 60 years now, and our history of volunteer leadership has successfully led us to the point where we can now hire a full-time director to help expand our awareness and create an even greater capability to help.”
Ayres is set to begin his new role on March 2, and is already preparing for the foundation’s next big announcement. “Very soon,” Ayres concluded, “we’ll have more exciting news to share from the foundation, and I’m looking forward to getting started and working with the board to expand our efforts across all aspects of the vast and very charitable aftermarket industry.”
