RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – Dennis Welvaert, president, North American aftermarket division, Dayco Products LLC., Tulsa, OK, took office as chairman of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) Board of Governors at the board’s Nov. 8 board meeting in Chicago.

Welvaert is a 37-year veteran in the automotive industry. His career started with Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. where he held various technical positions in research and development before moving into the OEM Sales division.

He joined the Dayco OEM Sales group in 1981, becoming vice president of OEM sales in 1989. In 1991, Welvaert was promoted to vice president of Dayco’s Aftermarket Division and led the division’s sales and marketing organizations. In 1998, Welvaert became vice president and general manager of North American aftermarket operations. In 2003, he was promoted to his current position.

Welvaert is a member of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation Board of Trustees and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. In addition, he has been recognized as an authoritative industry spokesperson and innovative presenter at notable industry events, including the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium and Aftermarket eForum.

Welvaert has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wayne State University and an MBA from Eastern Michigan University. He and his wife, Sharon, have two adult children and make their home in Tulsa, OK.

AASA Board of Governors

Other board officers are Peter Morse, president of Morse Automotive, and Tom Ward, president of Snap-on Tools Group, who assumed their posts as co-vice chairmen at the Nov. 8 meeting. Welvaert and Michael Cardone, CEO of CARDONE Industries, were selected as the AASA representatives to the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Board of Directors.

Four new board members were elected to three-year terms:

• Tanvir Arfi, president, tools and equipment, SPX Corp., Warren, MI;

• David Barbeau, vice president, global independent aftermarket business unit, Delphi Product & Service Solutions, Troy, MI;

• Jeff Brekke, senior vice president, North American aftermarket division, The Gates Corp., Denver, CO; and

• Paul Johnson, general director, global independent aftermarket, General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI.

Other members continuing to serve on the board are:

• Guy Andrysick, senior vice president, Honeywell Consumer Products, Danbury, CT;

• Jay Burkhart, senior vice president, global aftermarket, of Federal-Mogul Corp., Southfield, MI;

• David Coolidge, president, Automotive Aftermarket Division, executive vice president, Robert Bosch Corp;

• Michael Cardone, CEO, CARDONE Industries, Philadelphia, PA;

• Rod McKenzie, president, The Penray Companies Inc., Wheeling, IL;

• Sam Mitchell, president, The Valvoline Co.;

• Edward (E.J.) O’Leary, chief operating officer, Exide Technologies, Alpharetta, GA;

• Joseph Pomaranski, vice president, sales, Tenneco Automotive, Monroe, MI;

• Vange Proimos, president of AP Exhaust, Goldsboro, NC;

• Richard Shiozaki, senior vice president, DENSO Sales California Inc.;

• John Washbish, president, Affinia Group, customer relations, McHenry, IL;

Steve Handschuh, president and chief operating officer, AASA, also serves on the board as well as Bob McKenna, president and CEO, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, Research Triangle Park, NC.

For more information about AASA, go to: www.aftermarketsuppliers.org.