SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Schwartz Advisors LLC, a mergers and acquisitions advisory and management consulting firm focused on the automotive aftermarket, recently added two new partners. Dennis Welvaert and Mitch Williams have joined Schwartz Advisors and will work on M&A initiatives and strategic consulting projects.
Dennis Welvaert recently retired as president of the Dayco North American aftermarket division and also was responsible for Dayco’s Australian operations. While with Dayco, Welvaert held senior executive-level positions in the OEM, industrial and aftermarket divisions. He also held the position of vice president and general manager of the aftermarket for Mark IV Industries, which consisted of Purolator Filtration, Eaglemotive Fan Clutch and Dayco.
Mitch Williams is former president and COO of Hella Inc., where he was responsible for special OE and aftermarket activities for Hella in the United States and Canada. He also served as the COO of Pilot Automotive, a supplier of accessory products to the automotive aftermarket. Williams’ experience at Hella and Pilot included work in the OEM, traditional aftermarket, performance, Internet and mail order, automotive retail, mass merchandise and heavy-duty channels of distribution.
“We are excited to have Denny Welvaert and Mitch Williams on our team,” said Rick Schwartz, Schwartz Advisors Managing Partner. “In addition to the success both men had at their respective companies, Denny and Mitch have held other leadership positions in the automotive aftermarket. Denny is current chairman of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium and he is former chairman of AASA, a former member of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation Board of Trustees and a past member of the AAIA board of directors. Mitch Williams is former Chairman of SEMA, and he has been active throughout his career in other aftermarket industry trade association work.”
Schwartz added that Welvaert and Williams join Mort Schwartz, Rick Keister, Larry Samuelson, Gary Paulson, Lou Basenese, Glenn Martin, John Passante and Steve Ganster on the Schwartz Advisors team.
“I am excited to be on the Schwartz Advisors team. No other consulting or advisory group has the same level of industry knowledge and operating experience in the aftermarket,” said Welvaert.
Williams added, “I was attracted to the Schwartz Advisors team due to the caliber of professionals on the staff. We have an incredible group of people here.”
