SAINT AUGUSTINE, Fla. — On Tuesday, Aug. 25, Virginia “Honey” Eckardt, 56, died after a nearly two-year struggle with cancer. Honey had served as the executive director of the Chesapeake Automotive Business Association (CABA) from 1992 through 2004, when she moved from Maryland to be near her children in Northeast Florida. Concurrently, she had been the CEO of the CAWA Federal Credit Union (now the Automotive Aftermarket Employee Federal Credit Union) from 1985 through 2004.
Honey grew up in the automotive aftermarket working closely with her father, Dominick Amantea, who preceded her as the CEO of the Chesapeake Automotive Wholesalers Association, which became CABA in their merger with the Maryland Tire Dealers Association in 2001. She was a graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.S in Business Administration.
“Hon loved the small business aftermarket and the people in it,” said Skip Potter, current executive director and CEO of both CABA and Automotive Aftermarket Employee Federal Credit Union. “She was their advocate and took her passion for them across the country as a member herself of both the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Association Executives and the Tire Industry Association Executives.
A memorial service for Honey will be held by the family on Thursday, Sept. 3, 5 p.m., at the Craig Funeral Home, 1475 Old Dixie Hwy, Saint Augustine, FL, 32084.