Magoo’s Automotive Launches Its Re-Designed Website
Magoo’s Automotive Consultants, Inc., a nationwide vehicle inspections service provider, today announced the launch of its re-designed website at magoos.net.
OSU Business School Leader, Roger Blackwell, Convicted of Insider Trading
Ohio State University business school professor Roger Blackwell was convicted Monday on 14 counts of insider trading, in addition to being found guilty of conspiracy, making false statements and obstruction. A highly-respected professor who built a reputation as an expert on consumer behavior, Blackwell is active on many corporate boards, and is also an author and consultant. His name should be familiar to many in the automotive aftermarket industry — Blackwell had been a featured speaker at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium, and was also involved in the University of the Aftermarket’s Leadership 2010 program, which was hosted at Ohio State University, where Blackwell taught.
Advance Auto Parts Names New CEO
Advance Auto Parts announced late yesterday that its board of directors unanimously appointed Mike Coppola president and CEO, following Larry Castellani’s planned retirement as CEO. Castellani will remain chairman of the board. Coppola becomes only the fifth CEO in Advance’s 73-year history. He has been with Advance since February 2001, having served most recently as executive vice president and COO. Prior to joining Advance, Coppola was with Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo, NY, where he was executive vice president of marketing.
Bosch Announces Executive Changes in its North American Automotive Aftermarket Division
Robert Bosch Corp. has announced a number of changes in its North American Automotive Aftermarket Division. David Caracci, vice president of sales – national accounts, will retire on May 15. The company said Caracci may continue to support the firm occasionally on various aftermarket initiatives, but plans to spend much of his time at his favorite hobby — yacht racing. An aftermarket veteran of thirty-two years, and currently chairman of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association Board of Directors, Caracci said he is also looking forward to investing more of his time into industry volunteer projects.
Executive Interview with Mort Schwartz, Chairman of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium
Next week, the tenth annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) will take place (May11&12) in Chicago. Celebrating this decade of annual events, the theme for this year’s GAAS is “Lessons from the Past, Perspectives on the Future.” In honor of the this tenth-annual event, we asked Mort Schwartz, chairman of GAAS, to reflect back and give us his own perspective on changes taking place in the industry in the past ten years as well as his favorite memories from past symposiums.
RepairOne Teams Up with Habitat for Humanity
Florida-based automotive service repair chain RepairOne Automotive Concepts has teamed up with Halifax Habitat for Humanity (HHH) to build the next HHH home in the Daytona Beach area. As part of the company’s One Home, One Family initiative, RepairOne owners, team members, customers, friends and family will work side-by-side with HHH staff to build the home.
Affinia Under Vehicle Group Offers New Raybestos Brand RCD Catalog Version 5.1
Affinia Under Vehicle Group has announced the availability of its Raybestos brand RCD catalog, version 5.1. The CD catalog contains the entire Raybestos brand brake product line with coverage for all model years, including many 2005 models.
Canadian Automakers Hail Agreement to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
A landmark agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was formally signed Tuesday by the Canadian government and the country’s automobile industry. The signing of the memorandum agreement, previously announced as a follow-up to the Kyoto protocol on climate change, took place at Auto 21, an auto engineering facility at the University of Windsor. The pact is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Canada’s vehicle fleet by 5.3 megatonnes by the end of 2010.
Executive Interview with Guy Bargnes, Director of Marketing, North American Operations for BASF Corp. Refinish Group
Guy Bargnes has spent his entire life in the collision repair industry. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where his father ran a family business, V. H. Bargnes Co., Inc., which distributed automotive paints, supplies and equipment to area collision shops. In 1992 Bargnes joined BASF full-time, and he is now director of marketing, North American Operations, for the Refinish Group. Bargnes recently sat down to a phone interview with aftermarketNews and shared with us some of the insights from his lifelong career in the industry. Join us as Bargnes talks about BASF’s four leading principles, trends in the refinish business and the return of paint companies to industry trade shows.
Executive Interview with Tom Marx, President and CEO of The Marx Group
The Marx Group was founded in Los Angeles more than two decades ago, in 1984. Since 1997, the full service marketing communications company has been based in Northern California, and includes a staff of eight, with locations in Chicago (public relations), New York (creative), Los Angeles and Denver (account services). The Marx Group began as an advertising agency serving the apparel agency. Today nearly three-quarters of its business is focused on the automotive aftermarket. Join us as the company’s founder, Tom Marx, shares his experiences from a colorful career as a professional race-car driver, repair shop owner, author and advertising executive, and gives us the keys to getting sales and marketing to work in collaboration.