Rusty Bishop began his career in the automotive aftermarket more than 40 years ago, when he joined Fisher Auto Parts, where he held a number of positions in warehouse and jobber store management and also served as a director of the company. In 1985, Bishop co-founded Federated Auto Parts Distributors, a program marketing group for major warehouse distributors. Through the years, Bishop’s leadership allowed Federated to grow to become one of the leading program groups in the industry. He currently holds the position of CEO of Federated, which is headquartered in Staunton, Va.

In today’s Executive Interview, Bishop speaks from his perspective as chairman of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, and talks about the group’s re-energized efforts to increase support and funding for the foundation.

You’ve been chairman of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation for about two years now. Tell us a little about the Foundation’s mission, and what you enjoy most about this role.

I consider myself very fortunate to serve as the chairman of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation. Advancing education in the aftermarket is the primary mission of the foundation, and thanks to so many generous donations, the foundation has been able to fund more than $2 million in scholarships, grants and ongoing educational programs. Personally, I find it very gratifying to see how the University of the Aftermarket Foundation helps make education available to talented, deserving people who want to pursue a career in our great industry.

What are your goals for the foundation going forward?

Because of the nature of a foundation, our goals must include expanding industry support and donations in order to fund educational programs and scholarships. To this point, the University of the Aftermarket Foundation has had great success, but I believe that we, as an industry, can do even more to make education more readily available to those who seek an aftermarket career. Just imagine the positive impact on the aftermarket if each of us made a commitment to give back to the industry that has given us so much.

The Foundation recently announced a more aggressive push for funding support. Why is this especially important right now and who benefits?

Our recent push for funding is really a request for members of our industry to invest in the future leaders of the aftermarket. By growing the number of donors, we could fund more quality courses, provide more scholarships and attract more talent to the aftermarket. Education has a positive, stabilizing influence on our industry and, by identifying and developing future leaders now, we will ensure a healthy, stable and strong aftermarket going forward.

How can aftermarket professionals and industry partners get involved?

First, a sincere “thank you” to all those who have donated throughout the years to help make the University of the Aftermarket Foundation the success it is today. We appreciate your generous support of the foundation and ask that you identify another who is willing to give back to the industry and support the foundation’s efforts.

If you have not yet donated, please remember the foundation when you consider making a charitable donation or recognize a special occasion. By simply submitting the foundation donation form, you will make a big difference in shaping the future of our industry.

Those interested in offering financial support to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation can click here to download the donation form.

Also this week, stay tuned for personal blog posts written by several participants the University of the Aftermarket’s Leadership 2.0 executive education experience.