RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – The first slate of officers have the helm of the Emerging Leaders of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), the light vehicle aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).
First established at the 2014 AASA Vision Conference, the AASA Emerging Leaders program is dedicated to helping young professionals acquire business skills and industry knowledge to help further their careers and the profitability of their respective companies. Members seek to learn from their peers, top industry executives and subject matter experts, in addition to educating the automotive aftermarket from their perspective.
The new AASA Emerging Leaders officers are:
- Chair: Drew Conkling, manager, product research & application, The Gates Corp.
- First Vice Chair: Brian Lesiewicz, sales director – retail key accounts, Exide Technologies
- Second Vice Chair: Melinda Oram, associate category manager – fuel handling, Delphi Automotive
- Co-Secretary: Jamie Ardis, AAP, ACP, product data manager and marketing coordinator, AGS Co.
- Co-Secretary: Kristin Anastas, MBA, account manager, Johnson Controls
The AASA Emerging Leaders program provides education and industry data and best practices for aftermarket professionals who want to advance their career. Designed for professionals with five to 10 years of work experience, the group meets four times a year touching on current and emerging industry topics as well as networking with experienced leaders in the industry.
The AASA Emerging Leaders program will provide:
- Knowledge about leading industry data
- Best practices from other industries to bring more value to their company
- Effective networking strategies
- Introduction to key contacts to help further their aftermarket knowledge
The next Emerging Leaders meeting will be held in August. For details on the meeting and membership, visit www.aftermarketsuppliers.org/Events/Emerging-Leaders or contact Bailey Overman of AASA, [email protected].
