WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The 2008-09 class of the University of the Aftermarket Leadership 2.0 program reconvenes on the campus of Northwood University tonight in West Palm Beach, Fla. This week, the second half of the Leadership 2.0 program for this year, will feature an intensive four-and-a-half-day schedule of activities that will culminate in a graduation ceremony on Saturday.
Leadership 2.0 is the aftermarket industry’s cornerstone executive development program for manufacturer, distributor, retail, association, program group and service dealer professionals. With 25 members, this year’s graduating class is one of the largest in program history. This session also marks the first time Leadership 2.0 activities have been conducted on Northwood University’s West Palm Peach, Fla., campus.
This week’s schedule includes presentations by Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association President and CEO Kathleen Schmatz, MAAP; University of the Aftermarket Foundation Executive Director David Caracci; Dr. John Passante, president and chief executive officer of The Organizational Development Group Inc.; and Tom Easton, AAP, senior partner of the Essential Action Design Group. Also addressing the class will be Rollie Massimino, legendary former head basketball coach at Villanova University and current coach of the Northwood University Seahawks.
Among the annual highlights of Leadership 2.0’s week-long spring session are the presentations of team research projects completed during the six-month intersession period. Each year the team with the best research project, as judged by the class, is invited to present its findings during the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium. This year’s GAAS will be held May 6 and 7 in Chicago.
“Leadership 2.0 plays an important role in shaping strategies to ensure the long-term growth and success of the aftermarket industry,” said Brian Cruickshank, AAP, director of the University of the Aftermarket. “Each year our participants display a shared commitment to identify new solutions that will advance not only their own careers, but their organizations and the industry as a whole. This year’s class has been an excellent example of the tremendous talent that exists within each segment of the aftermarket.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Stay tuned for live coverage this week of Leadership 2.0 from Counterman Editor Mark Phillips, who is participating in the 2008-2009 program.
As the 2008-09 Leadership 2.0 program nears its completion, plans are already well under way for the 2009-10 class, which will assemble for its first week long session Sept. 20-25 on the Northwood University campus in Midland, Mich.
For more information and to reserve a spot in the 2009-10 Leadership 2.0 class, visit www.northwood.edu/aftermarket or call 1-800-551-2882.
