Stoneridge Adds Two New Directors to Its Board
Automotive components manufacturer Stoneridge has appointed John Corey and William Lasky to the company’s board of directors. Corey is president and CEO of Safety Components International, a supplier of air bags and components. He previously held positions as president of the Stanley Mechanics Tools Division, AlliedSignal’s automotive aftermarket products division and Moog Automotive. Lasky is chairman, president and CEO of JLG Industries, a diversified construction and industrial equipment manufacturer. Prior to joining JLG, Lasky spent 22 years in various positions of increasing responsibility with Dana, including president of its Filtration Products Worldwide business from 1997 to 1999.
Aftermarket Veteran George Halford Dies
George Halford, co-owner and vice president of H.B. International Marketing Services, died this week. A Royal Air Force veteran who served in World War II, Halford emigrated to Canada in 1957 and entered the automotive business. In 1966, he purchased BMC dealership for Triumph, MG and Jaguar, and in 1976, opened three jobber stores. Halford formed Tandem Marketing Co., an automotive parts sales agency, in 1980, and in 1987 merged with Bearden Marketing Services to form H.B. International Marketing Services, Inc.
ELR for Application Parts Manual Now Available
AAIA has just published the Enhanced Line Review (ELR) for Application Parts, a 298-page manual to help companies make better assortment decisions, increase inventory efficiency and develop long-term strategies to grow their parts businesses.
ATMC Spring Conference to Focus on “Clean Diesel”
The Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC) will hold its 2004 Spring Conference and Business Meeting on April 18-20 at the Holiday Inn Fairlane-Dearborn in Detroit, Mich. The conference will focus on heavy-duty/diesel emissions and new technologies. Numerous automotive presentations on clean diesels, new emissions-related systems and their impact on the service technician will be on the agenda.
Learn How to Work Leaner, Faster, Better at GAAS 2004
Early registrants for the ninth annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) program will learn how the aftermarket will work leaner, faster and better at a substantial savings. GAAS 2004 is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 18-19, at the Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Ill. Dr. Jeffrey Rosensweig, economist and professor at Emory University, heads the lineup of speakers at GAAS 2004. NASCAR Driver Bill Lester is the featured lunch speaker on Tuesday, May 18. GAAS 2004 will also include two pre-conference events: the 2004 Manufacturers’ Reps Conference on Sunday and Monday, May 16-17, and the University of the Aftermarket Pre-Symposium Seminar on Monday, May 17, “How to Accelerate Your Sales Growth through Increased Customer Loyalty.”
Delphi Appoints Three New Sales Managers in North America
Delphi Corp. has named three new sales managers for North America. Jim Eady, Darrel Reuss and Steve Tucker will serve as regional sales managers for vehicle electronics in North America for Delphi Product & Service Solutions. Eady will cover the Southeast, Reuss the Midwest and Tucker the Northeast and all will report to Scott Donnelly, North American vehicle electronics sales manager.
Midas Completes Restructuring
Midas said it has completed its restructuring plan successfully, and on schedule. In April 2003, Midas announced agreements with AutoZone in the U.S. and Uni-Select in Canada for distribution of Midas brand and other automotive parts to the 1,900 Midas shops in North America. Midas’ timetable to exit the parts distribution business was the end of fiscal 2003. In April 2003, Midas announced agreements with AutoZone in the U.S. and Uni-Select in Canada for distribution of Midas brand and other automotive parts to the 1,900 Midas shops in North America. Midas’ timetable to exit the parts distribution business was the end of fiscal 2003.
Visteon Projects Profit After Losses
Visteon Corp. expects to earn a small net profit this year after losing at least $1.6 billion from 2001 to 2003, executives said Thursday. If Visteon turns a profit this year, it would be the first since 2000, the year the auto parts maker separated from Ford Motor Co. In a briefing for Wall Street analysts in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show, Visteon laid out its financial expectations for the first time in at least a year.
AIA Canada and Matthew.Scott Data Marketing Begin Aftermarket Service Provider Market Research Project
The Automotive Industry Association of Canada (AIA) has selected Matthew.Scott Data Marketing Solutions as the agency of record for a new automotive service provider market research project. In order to better serve the needs of AIA membership, which includes wholesalers, warehouse distributors and suppliers, and their ultimate customer base — installers — AIA is investigating what types of services automotive service providers need to survive and thrive in the industry.
Former Urda Exec Forms New Aftermarket PR Agency
Kristen Simpson, former executive at Akron, Ohio-based PR agency Urda Co. (now Urda-Roberts), has launched Simpson Communications LLC. The new public relations agency, based in Shaker Heights, Ohio, will specialize in business-to-business communications for the automotive aftermarket. Simpson Communications will offer a full range of public relations services, including new product launches, press events, media relations, copywriting, strategic planning, event management and internal communications.