Florida Senate Committee Passes Insurer-Owned Repair Facility Legislation
By a vote of 8 to 1, the Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance has passed Senate Bill 2692, which prohibits insurer-owned shops in the state of Florida.
ANSA Automotive Names Mitch Williams National Sales Development Manager
Mitch Williams, founder of Vehicle Performance Systems, a recently formed international sales and marketing agency, has joined the ANSA Automotive sales team. Heading up National Sales Development, he will focus on expanding and managing the independent outside rep base and developing major WD relationships for both Silverline and ANSA SPORT performance exhausts.
WORLDPAC Names New CEO, COO
WORLDPAC President Tom O’Hare has been promoted to CEO of the company. O’Hare will remain on the board of directors. Filling the position that has opened as a result of O’Hare’s promotion, John Mosunic, vice president of finance, has been promoted to president of WORLDPAC. He has also been named COO.
High-tech is Giving Drivers Another Set of Eyes on Highways
Advances in automotive technology are giving drivers another set of eyes. There is parking assistance that backs a car into a parking space, miniature cameras that help a driver see at night and in blinding sunlight, detection devices that sound an alert when a driver crosses into a lane without activating the turn signal or starts to get too close to a pedestrian.
Metaldyne Launches Internal Inquiry
Auto supplier Metaldyne Corp. has launched an internal investigation into questionable accounting practices for the last seven years that could have resulted in overstating the company’s earnings by $20 million. The error was followed by a cover-up to balance the books, the company said.
Continental to Acquire Phoenix AG
Continental AG has said it intends to acquire Phoenix AG of Hamburg, Germany. Continental will launch a public tender offer of EUR 15 per share (approximately $18 per share) for all outstanding shares of Phoenix AG. Officials at Continental AG said the company views the proposed takeover as a significant step in its strategy of further developing its ContiTech division, a leading global supplier of technical elastomers.
Action Executive to Join Jeff Gordon, Inc.
John Bickford Sr., executive vice president of strategic alliances for motorsports merchandise company Action Performance, has resigned to take the position of vice president and general manager of star NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon’s Jeff Gordon, Inc. Bickford will also oversee Gordon’s other business related interests.
SEMA Businesswomen’s Network Names Two to Select Committee
The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) Select Committee has added two new members. SEMA Board member Steven Bolio, partner in Scafidi-Bolio & Associates in Waltham, Mass., and Claudine McDermott, president of CTM MEDIA, Inc. in Larchmont, N.Y., were appointed to the 15-member committee by SBN chairman Terry Kohl.
Cooper to Explore Sale of Automotive Business
Cooper Tire & Rubber is considering selling its Cooper-Standard Automotive Group. According to Thomas Dattilo, chairman, president and CEO of Cooper Tire & Rubber, said the company will be best served at this time by focusing on its tire business.
Chung Departs Activant Automotive Group
Hoon Chung, former senior vice president and general manager of Activant’s Automotive Group, has left the company. His departure was effective yesterday. Chung’s duties have been assumed on an interim basis by Activant President, CEO and Chairman of the Board Mike Aviles.