Sam Malatesta to Moderate Body Shop Panel at 2008 PBES Spring Conference
BETHESDA, Md. – Sam Malatesta, president of Malatesta Capital Corp. in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, will moderate the Body Shop Panel at the 2008 Paint, Body and Equipment Specialists (PBES) Spring Conference, May 12-14, at the Embassy Suites Hotel Phoenix-Scottsdale in Phoenix, Ariz. Malatesta will be sponsored by BASF Automotive Refinish Solutions. Malatesta is a leading
Executive Interview with Chris Ferraro, President, CEO and Co-Founder of Voodoo Ride
Christopher Ferraro is president and CEO of vehicle appearance products company Voodoo Ride, which he co-founded last year with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Ferraro brings experience in the appearance p rod ucts category to the company, having served as president/CEO of VentureBrands, LLC, a marine and automotive surface care company. Join us as Ferraro shares how he came to found the car care products company with racing star Earnhardt, and what he thinks makes Voodoo Ride stand out from the crowd.
Hundreds Turn Out for AAIA Spring Leadership Days
Despite the travel hurdles many faced last week as American Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights, roughly 400 aftermarket executives turned out to participate in the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association’s (AAIA) Spring Leadership Days. The biannual gathering of AAIA leadership and industry volunteers took place April 9-11 in Bonita Springs, Fla. In addition to the more than 25 AAIA market segment and committee meetings that took place during the event, the association held its annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon and State of the Association address on Thursday, during which Jerry O’Pry kicked off his term as chairman of the AAIA Board of Directors for 2008-2009.
CCC Information Services, Mitchell International to Merge
CCC Information Services Inc., of Chicago , Ill. , and Mitchell International, Inc., of San Diego , Calif. , have signed a definitive agreement under which they will combine in a merger-of-equals transaction valued at $1.4 billion. CCC and Mitchell are each privately held. The combined enterprise, which will be known as CCC-Mitchell Inc., will be a leading provider of information, workflow management systems and integrated software to insurance companies and collision repair facilities.
Bando Adds Two New Regional Sales Managers
ITASCA, Ill. — Bando USA has announced the addition of Robert Talavera and Michael Walsh to the Bando sales management team. Talavera has accepted a position with Bando USA as western regional sales manager. He has more than eight years of industry experience, most recently with the Cardone Industries as a zone manager for the
Federal-Mogul to List Class A Common Stock on NASDAQ
Federal-Mogul Corp.’s Class A Common Stock will be listed on the NASDAQ Global Market beginning on April 23. Federal-Mogul will trade under the ticker symbol “FDML.” President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Maria Alapont and a representative group of employees are slated to commemorate the listing at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York at the market opening on April 23.
Automechanika Canada’s Seminar Program to Highlight the Industry’s Future
Automechanika Canada, which takes place June 19-21, at the International Centre in Toronto, Ontario, will offer seminars designed to help aftermarket professionals succeed in these changing times. Highlighting the program are a keynote address by Bob Greenwood, an award-winning automotive aftermarket industry expert; seven industry seminars; and nine educational courses. Additionally, the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) and the Ontario Tire Dealers Association (OTDA), two of the show’s industry partners, will contribute to the seminar program, and OTDA will sponsor the exclusive Tire & Wheel Pavilion within Automechanika Canada.
Carroll Shelby Earns Auto Executive of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award
Automotive icon Carroll Shelby will receive the 2008 Automotive Executive of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented to him during an invitation-only luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club on April 16. This is the first time in a decade that the Automotive Executive of the Year’s annual honoree will be recognized for lifetime achievement. The Automotive Executive of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award has recognized excellence in automotive leadership from OEM executives since 1964. Past winners include Jim Press, Bill Ford, Jr., Dieter Zetsche, Rick Wagoner, Henry Ford II, Robert Eaton, Thomas Stallkamp, Roger Smith, Harold E. Poling and Lee Iacocca.
OBITUARY: AIM Inc. Founder Tom Clayton
Thomas "Tom" Craig Clayton, 57, Cartersville, Va., died April 6, after a long, hard-fought and brave battle with cancer. Tom worked in the automotive parts business for his entire professional career, starting in 1973 with the ACDelco division of General Motors. In 1990 Tom founded AIM Inc., where he served as president until 2008. He built the business from its inception into a nationwide automotive parts buying group.
Herman Trend Alert: Brazil’s Bright Future
When Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia traveled to Brazil in the 1990s to talk about the future, they characterized the country as "a sleeping giant –just about to awaken." The well-respected investment firm of Goldman Sachs has given the designation of "BRIC" to the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). In fact, the investment leader even offers an index fund of BRIC investments. The fund was created to tap these countries’ "tremendous growth potential."