Executive Interview with Scott Stolberg, President and CEO, AAEQ Manufacturers and Recyclers
Scott Stolberg is president and CEO of AAEQ Manufacturers and Recyclers, a company that provides leadership in the automotive remanufacturing, manufacturing and recycling industries. Stolberg graduated from Indiana University in 1982 with a B.S. degree in finance. He joined the family business in 1984 in Chicago, after working in the insurance industry from 1982
Executive Interview with Howard Kesten, President of APA Search
Today’s Executive Interview features Howard Kesten of APA Search. An automotive industry veteran, Kesten has spent the last 20 years as the owner/president of APA Search, a retained executive search firm that specializes in the automotive industry. He is a human resources consultant and is also a noted guest speaker in the industry. Prior to APA Search, he spent several years with Dana Corp., and earlier owned and operated a chain of two-step distributors in and around New York City. From 1987 to 2008, APA Search has interviewed more than 50,000 automotive industry executives and has placed more than 2,000 of them with some 100-plus clients. Kesten and his team have worked with companies that range in size from $2 million to $60 billion. Join us as Kesten shares some tricks of the trade and talks about the most important core competencies businesses must focus on in this challenging economy.
Executive Interview with Howard Laga, Vice President and General Manager, Penray
Howard Laga serves as vice president and general manager of The Penray Companies Inc., a manufacturer of automotive and heavy-duty chemicals based in Chicago. In this position, he is responsible for managing daily operations for the company. This is a multi-faceted job in which Laga oversees the daily business of Penray and direct the formulation and implementation of short and long-term operational goals to meet business profitability and growth objectives.
Executive Interview with ISN Vice President John Snowden
A supply chain services and business development professional with 20 years of distribution and manufacturing experience, John Snowden joined Integrated Supply Network (ISN) in May 2007, as vice president of operations. After a year spent fine-tuning the company’s distribution process, Snowden is now performing the role of vice president of mobile sales. His mission is to redefine the level of experience that mobile distributors have when purchasing from ISN, bringing customer service and product excellence to the forefront of every interaction. In this exclusive interview, Snowden talks about the changing dynamics of the tool and equipment distribution model.
Executive Interview: An Update on Uni-Select’s Purchase of Beck/Arnley
In this exclusive Executive Interview, Uni-Select President and CEO Richard Roy and Max Dull, vice president and general manager of Beck/Arnley, provide an update on what to expect following Uni-Select’s acquisition of the import parts maker. The two address plans for strategy, branding and distribution.
Executive Interview with Jesse Jones, Director of Marketing, MAHLE Clevite
Jesse Jones, a 25 year veteran of the aftermarket, was appointed in 2006 to the role of manager – marketing for Clevite Engine Parts, now MAHLE Clevite Inc. Jones is responsible for the company’s overall strategic marketing efforts, which include communication, customer program management, tradeshows, motor sports, brand management and customer training. In this exclusive Executive Interview, Jones brings us up to speed on MAHLE Clevite as the company celebrates nearly one and a half years under the ownership of Stuttgart, Germany-based MAHLE Group.
Polk Survey: How Will the Slowdown in SUV/Light Truck Production Impact Your Business?
News reports recently have indicated that several vehicle manufacturers are making production adjustments based on the rapid slowdown in sales of trucks and SUVs. For our next edition of R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry, we will look at the impact this production slowdown may be having on the aftermarket. Will this slowdown
Polk Survey: Will the Slowdown in SUV/Light Truck Production Impact Your Business?
News reports recently have indicated that several vehicle manufacturers are making production adjustments based on the rapid slowdown in sales of trucks and SUVs. For our next edition of R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry, we will look at the impact this production slowdown may be having on the aftermarket. To provide your comments on this important industry issue, click here to take our quick poll, or email your comments to Editor Amy Antenora at [email protected].
Executive Interview with Matt Guden, Business Development Manager, Everco
Matt Guden is the business development manager for Everco Heavy Duty. In this position, he is responsible for market analysis, creating and managing brands for all markets, communicating with existing customers and the sales force and helping customers manage their inventories, in addition to product promotions and other marketing functions. Join us as Guden re-introduces the Everco Heavy Duty brand and talks about the company’s brand strategy going forward.
Executive Interview with Camilla Denison, President of Champion Laboratories, Inc.
Camilla Denison is president of Champion Laboratories, Inc., a business unit of United Components. She joined the company in 2005, after an extensive career with such companies as General Motors, ITT Automotive, Visteon Corp. and Textron Fastening Systems, from which she retired before reaching the age of 40. Denison came out of retirement to join Alemite Corp., where she served as CEO before joining Champion. Today, Denison shares with us a little background on how values, ethics and business strategies have grown Champ Labs from a small, entrepreneurial business into a global success story.
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry: The Value of New Vehicle Information for Product and Inventory Planning
Every year, there are more than 100 new vehicle launches and changes that significantly affect the landscape of the automotive industry. What impact do these new vehicles have on your company and the industry? How important is receiving timely new vehicle information to your product and inventory planning? These questions were asked of AMN readers and aftermarket executives working within various segments of the automotive aftermarket – including warehouse distribution, manufacturing and collision repair. And, what stands out most among all the comments were heard is the emphasis on the need for timely information.
GUEST EDITORIAL: NGK Director Michael Schwab Responds to “A Missed Opportunity”
The following guest editorial comes from Michael Schwab, director for NGK Spark Plugs USA, Inc. He writes the following letter in response to another recently published guest editorial authored by Fred Meyers, titled “A Missed Opportunity,” which addressed Meyers opinions on the value of aftermarket manufacturers’ brands in the technicians mind.