Executive Interview: AAIA’s Scott Luckett Shares Details on the Upcoming Supply Chain Benchmarking Exercise
Last week, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) announced the second round of its supply chain benchmarking exercise, in collaboration with the Supply Chain Council. Today, Scott Luckett, MAAP, AAIA’s vice president, technology standards, provides a few more details about the project in the hopes of enticing a few suppliers, retailers and distributors to participate. Read on to find out why getting involved is a great idea for your business and the aftermarket as a whole.
Executive Interview with Mike Watson, Global Managing Director, Valspar
In his current role, Watson has led the restructuring and re-launch of the PlastiKote automotive brand. PlastiKote has a long, rich heritage in the automotive marketplace and over time had seeped into other non-automotive categories. Under Watson’s guidance, the new PlastiKote has returned to its roots through reinvestment in such areas as new product formulations, brand identity and customer support programs. In this week’s exclusive Executive Interview, Watson gives us an update on the Plastikote re-launch and also gives us a sneak peek of new products the company will introduce next month at AAPEX.
Executive Interview with John Stotz, Director of Global Brands for Valvoline
John Stotz joined Valvoline in September of 2000 and currently serves as the director of global brands. In his present position, Stotz manages the company’s lubricants portfolio among retail auto parts, mass and warehouse distributor channels and most recently was responsible for the launch of NextGen motor oil, the brand’s latest category innovation. Previously, he served as the director of marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Valvoline, senior brand manager for the MaxLife brand and new products development manager. In this week’s Executive Interview, Stotz tells us all about Valvoline’s new NextGen 50 percent recycled motor oil and how recent changes in consumer consciousness made the timing just right for this revolutionary new product.
Herman Trend Alert: What the Increasing Numbers of Women Graduates Will Mean for Society
According to a recently published report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 32 of the 34 countries that are members, more girls than boys now complete their secondary education.
Guest Commentary: A Day at the Races – Are You a Big Picture Person or a Nit Picker? Both Are Needed in Racing and in Business
Industry veteran and longtime Babcox contributor Dave Caracci gives us the latest installment in his summertime series of firsthand accounts of life at the track.
Guest Commentary: Dr. John Passante Asks: ‘Can (and Should) a Business Have a Heart and Soul?’
“People give the business its spirit, its freshness and they are the face of the company to the customer, investors, vendors and the public. People have knowledge about your business, opinions and the ability to influence the success of the business. They are the heartbeat of the company. Their loyalty, commitment and recommendations are paramount to long-term growth,” Passante writes.
Executive Interview with Greg Mostoller, General Manager, Permatex
In today’s Executive Interview, Mostoller talks about his goals for the Permatex brand, as he settles into his new role as GM, and also brings us up to speed on recent – and possible future – acquisitions.
Herman Trend Alert: High Growth Women Entrepreneurs Poised to Transform Economies
Women make up more than half of the planet, more than 50 percent of all new MBA graduates and more than half of (non-STEM) post-graduates as well. Women represent almost 50 percent of all PhDs and 48 percent of all entrepreneurs globally. Yet they represent fewer than 20 percent of high-growth CEOs and attract only 10 percent of venture capital dollars.
Herman Trend Alert: Increasing Workplace Stress is Hazardous to Health
Employees are working longer hours and enjoying it less.
Herman Trend Alert: Employers Cracking Down on Personal Use of Social Media
Social media has a tremendous power to create business, and it has the potential for creating public relations havoc. Employers across the globe face the challenging issue of controlling the use of social media in the workplace.
Guest Commentary: Freedom and Impact – Dr. John Passante Considers the Role the Aftermarket Plays in Basic Freedom
“Americans cherish independence, freedom of mobility, the power to choose and rugged individualism, and the automobile is the vehicle of personal democracy!” Passante writes.
Guest Commentary: Dave Caracci Asks ‘What Determines Your Personal Altitude?’
Industry veteran and longtime Babcox contributor Dave Caracci gives us the latest installment in his summertime series of firsthand accounts of life at the track. In this week’s installment, Caracci experiences the stark difference attitude makes in securing sales and customer loyalty, while sourcing parts for the Performance Tech Motorsports team.