As we bid adieu to 2023 and welcome 2024, let’s take a look at the people in the automotive aftermarket who made headlines this year. Our list of Newsmakers for 2023 recaps some of the most popular interviews of the past year – presented in a variety of formats including executive interviews, podcasts and print issue cover stories.
Drum roll, please 🥁… Meet your 2023 Newsmakers!
- Michael Kitching, president and CEO, GB Remanufacturing: Kitching made this year’s Newsmakers list for his AMN Drivetime interview in which he shares a bit about the history of his family’s company and how remanufacturing will be a key player in the growing sustainability conversations taking place in the market today.
- Rick Schwartz, co-founder and managing partner, Schwartz Advisors: Schwartz is also on the list for his AMN Drivetime interview in September in which he delved into his career trajectory and the factors affecting M&A in the automotive aftermarket.
- Daryl Benton, vice president of sales and marketing, automotive aftermarket, Mann+Hummel North America: For the first time in a long time, we have two-time Newsmaker in Daryl Benton. Last year, Benton was named a Newsmaker for his executive interview with AMN, in which he shared how Mann+Hummel is looking to create a better experience for people inside the vehicle. This year, he’s honored as a Newsmaker for his AMN Drivetime interview in which he shares his personal story in the aftermarket and discusses how the company is innovating for the future, with the Purolator brand celebrating 100 years this year.
- Rick Maxwell, owner and president of United Motor Products: Early this year, Maxwell came on the AMN Drivetime podcast to discuss growing up in the family business, the company’s product lines and what’s next for UMP.
- Michael Ceritano, COO of GSP North America: Ceritano also appeared on an episode of AMN Drivetime to discuss how he and his team have grown GSP North America’s business exponentially in the almost six years he’s been with the company.
- Jim Franco, president and CEO of Autologue: When you’ve been in the industry for over 50 years, that itself is newsworthy. Jim Franco, president and CEO of Autologue, joined our Drivetime podcast this year to share his thoughts on current automotive technology, advancements Autologue is making to its software and his reflections as he became an octogenarian this year. Happy 80th, Jim! 🥳 🎉🎂
- Travis Roffler, director of marketing for Continental Tire the Americas: Let’s head to the tire side where Roffler made our list for his AMN Drivetime interview in August. Travis is a self-described “car guy” and you can hear the passion in his voice when he talks about pairing effective marketing strategies with his passion.
- Dwayne Bates, AISIN Word Corp. Of America and…
- Larrow Kaufman of AISIN Word Corp. Of America: Bates, vice president of the company’s aftermarket division, and Kaufman, senior sales manager for the North American aftermarket, joined the AMN Drivetime podcast to talk about recent company changes and what to expect from AISIN in the Americas in the future.
- Neil Sethi, president and CEO of Transtar Industries: In our other videos, you heard how Transtar has made strategic acquisitions to grow its business this year. In our executive interview with Sethi, he described how joining The Pronto Network will allow Transtar to expand its product lines more broadly and rapidly. With the partnership and Transtar’s 70 locations in North America, the company can now offer its products, and its ecommerce platform, Transcend, to both current and new customers.
Thanks for counting down our 2023 Newsmakers with us. Alas, we have reached the end of our AMN Year in Review series for 2023. We’ve had quite the list of interesting stories and people connected to them this year! Thanks for sticking with us.
Check out the rest of our 2023 Year in Review series where we reveal the Top 10 stories in aftermarket manufacturing, distribution and personnel.
We wish you a happy and blessed holiday season. Here’s to a great 2024! See you next year!
Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and be sure and to be to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be alerted when more Year in Review videos drop. This video is presented by Goodyear Belts.
