Student participation from Northwood University and Young Leaders programming will be part of the IMPACT Conference as the VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies continues its commitment to developing the next generation of aftermarket leadership, the company said. The VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies’ IMPACT Conference is scheduled for Oct. 15-20, 2023, at the JW Marriott Marco Island in Marco Island, Florida.
Three students from Northwood University will attend the IMPACT Conference and assist company staff during the meeting, as well as attend the many sessions and educational programs. The students – Samuel Hauxwell, Katherine Osantowski and Marlee Robertson – are all enrolled in Aftermarket Management with an interest in the commercial vehicle industry.
“Securing the future of the heavy-duty independent aftermarket is crucial to the commercial vehicle industry, and we are proud to play a role,” said VIPAR Heavy Duty President and CEO Chris Baer. “I’ll say it again, it’s a great time to be in the heavy-duty truck parts business, and our mission is to ensure it stays that way.”
The weeklong event will bring together more than 850 distributors, suppliers and industry associates. In addition to the keynote speaker, the conference will feature business and industry updates, annual stockholder and member meetings, interactive panels, educational sessions, trade show, networking opportunities, and one-to-one distributor/supplier partner meetings, VIPAR Heavy Duty said.
The IMPACT Conference will again feature the Young Leaders Roundtable Lunch, as well as the Young Leaders Speed Mentoring and Reception, a popular networking event that is hosted by GenNext, a division of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network focused on recruiting, mentoring and educating young leaders pursuing aftermarket careers, according to VIPAR Heavy Duty.
“We’re pleased to again partner with VIPAR Heavy Duty for the education and enrichment of our students,” said James O’Dell, Northwood University’s assistant director of Aftermarket Management. “Providing hands-on, real-world immersion in events such as the IMPACT Conference develops valuable insight into how our industry works while creating numerous networking opportunities with hundreds of aftermarket leaders.”
The event will also include the Women in Business networking reception and the IMPACT Memorial Golf Tournament to memorialize industry friends lost and raise contributions for various aftermarket charitable causes, including the nonprofit Wyakin Foundation that is dedicated to helping wounded and injured veterans transition to post-military careers.
For more information, visit www.vipar.com or email: [email protected].
