With all the big four parts retailers announcing executive changes this year, we experienced our fair share of executive changes, new hires and promotions in the automotive aftermarket. So, which ones catapulted to our Top 10 list, according to our analytics on aftermarketNews.com?

Join Maddie Winer, editor of aftermarketNews, and Josh Cable, editor of Counterman, as they count down the top personnel stories of 2023.

1. O’Reilly Automotive Announces Leadership Succession Plan: O’Reilly Auto Parts announced some significant executive changes in January. Brad Beckham, the company’s executive vice president and COO, and Brent Kirby, O’Reilly’s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer, were each promoted be co-presidents of the company. Beckham and Kirby will report to Greg Johnson, who will remain in his CEO role but pass on the title and role of president to Beckham and Kirby.
2. Advance Auto Parts Announces Executive Leadership Changes: In August, Advance Auto Parts’ board of directors appointed former Home Depot executive Shane O’Kelly as president and CEO, effective Sept. 11. O’Kelly succeeded Tom Greco, who has served in the role since April 2016.
3. AutoZone Announces Leadership Transition Plan: AutoZone announced that Philip B. Daniele will become president and CEO, effective January 2024. Bill Rhodes will be relinquishing the top spot to become Executive Chairman of the Board. AutoZone said Daniele is a 29-year AutoZoner and is currently executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and supply chain.
4. GPC’s Kevin Herron to Retire; Randy Breaux Promoted: GPC Genuine Parts Co. (GPC) announced that Kevin Herron, president of the U.S. Automotive Group, will retire at the end of 2023 after a 34-year career with the company. Randy Breaux was promoted to the newly created role of group president, GPC North America, effective July 1. Herron will serve in an advisory role until his retirement to assist with the transition.
5. Phinia Announces New CEO: There were also key executive changes on the manufacturing side. One that made our Top 10 list is PHINIA announcing its new CEO in Brady Ericson, after officially spinning off from BorgWarner this summer. Ericson has over 30 years of industry experience and previously led three different business units of BorgWarner.
6. Leadership Change at Mann+Hummel Americas Group: MANN+HUMMEL also announced executive changes to its aftermarket business in the Americas. Rodrigo Reyes, who has led the company’s Aftermarket Americas team since 2013, will assume a new role within the company as senior vice president of Europe, Automotive Aftermarket. To fill Reyes’ role, the company has brought on Marco Faulenbach to serve as senior vice president of Automotive Aftermarket Americas. Faulenbach is tasked with leading MANN+HUMMEL’s aftermarket activities in North and South America including engineering, sales and distribution for the WIX Filters, Purolator and MANN-FILTER brands.
7. BBB Industries Announces Key Executive Leadership Changes: Get ready for five leadership changes in one story. BBB Industries announced several key executive leadership changes to support its growth in January. John Amyot, president of BBB’s OES, Commercial Vehicle, Industrial and Collision and Electronics business, was promoted to chief operating officer. Maria Caballero, BBB’s senior director of OES programs, was promoted to president of its OCI business unit. Duygu Seker joined BBB as president of the company’s European division, brining 20 years of multi-industry and multicultural global experience. Steve Mesarick, BBB’s general counsel, was promoted to chief legal officer and executive vice president – global transactions. And finally, Mark Nugent was named the company’s executive vice president and chief sustainability officer to lead BBB’s global strategy in enhancing its company’s sustainability program.
8. Dayco Strengthens Aftermarket Team Structure: We have another series of role changes at Dayco. In March, Dayco announced the promotion of four aftermarket team members. Those include: Jay Buckley, who became director of marketing, catalog and technical product support; Jerry Reeves, who was promoted to manager of product management and will oversee product launches across all applications and industries; Jon Crawford, who joined the team as senior product manager, with a focus on special projects, including the growth of Dayco’s industrial belts and automotive and HD water pumps businesses; and lastly, Sheila Mann, who was named financial controller of Dayco’s Canada business and will continue to support the North American team.
9. BBB Industries Announces Passing of Founder Donald Bigler: Part of our personnel news also covers those who have passed away this year. In June, BBB Industries announced the passing of its founder and chairman emeritus, Don Bigler, at the age of 91. Bigler founded BBB with his sons, Jeff and Bruce, and together, they grew the company from a small, regional remanufacturer of rotating electrical parts into one of the largest sustainable auto parts manufacturers globally.
10. Milton Ind. Mourns Passing of LTI Co-Founder Ellery Casey: We also remember Ellery Casey, one of the co-founders of LTI Tools and Casey Tool. He passed away in March at 76. Ellery and his brother Wayne Casey sold their company to Milton Industries in July 2022 after more than 40 years in business.

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