SEMA Awards Record Amount in Scholarships
As the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund celebrates its 20th year of giving, the association has announced it awarded students a record number of scholarships this year. Seventy-five students preparing for careers in the automotive industry received individual awards of up to $4,000, for a total of $110,000 in scholarships.
Intermet Names President and CEO Gary Ruff as Chairman and CEO; John Doddridge Retires
The board of directors of Intermet Corp., has unanimously elected President and CEO Gary Ruff to chairman and CEO, effective immediately.
AASA Reports Significant Drop in Unperformed Maintenance
The total dollar amount of unperformed automotive maintenance in the U.S. dropped by nearly $20 billion in 2003, according to the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA). AASA’s 2004 Automotive Aftermarket Status Report notes that unperformed maintenance dropped from approximately $62 billion to $43.3 billion in 2003, due in part to consumers’ uncertainty about the country’s economy and their own jobs.
Kyle Petty to Deliver NACE 2004 Keynote Address
NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Kyle Petty will deliver the 2004 keynote address on Nov. 4 at the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) in Las Vegas. NACE also announced Richard Flint, Richard Flint Seminars, as the speaker for the event’s luncheon on Nov. 5, and Jim “The Rookie” Morris, a school teacher who pursued his dream to become a professional baseball player, as the keynote speaker for the general session on Nov. 6.
Bosch Appoints Corporate Communications Director
Bosch announced Chandra Lewis has assumed the position of director, corporate communications.
Dealership Parts & Service Takes Aim at the Aftermarket
Would you sell parts to your competitor? In all probability, you already do. While your driver delivers aftermarket parts through the OE dealership service department’s front door, OE parts are going out that same dealership’s backdoor to your best installer customers.
Executive Interview with Scott Meyer, President of MEMA
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Scott Meyer, outgoing chairman of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). As he concludes his time as chairman of the association, he steps into a new role as interim president of MEMA, which is in the midst of celebrating its 100-year anniversary. Join us as Meyer shares his insights on the anniversary of MEMA’s centennial, and what lies ahead for both MEMA and the entire industry.
GAAS Scholarships Awarded to 145 Students
The Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) continues its work to ensure a strong future talent pool for automotive aftermarket companies and service outlets through its highly successful scholarship program. A total of 145 students will receive $1,000 GAAS scholarships in 2004, with the majority of recipients entering automotive vocational-technical programs, which will help address the critical shortage of automotive technicians.
TIA and GE Extend 20-Year Credit Partnership
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) and GE Retail Sales Finance have extended their 20-year private label credit partnership that enables TIA members to offer extended financing to their customers through the CarCareONE credit card network. The program was launched in 1984. The CarCareONE program provides extended financing terms from 30 days to one year, emergency roadside assistance for one year and electronic processing that enables dealers to obtain rapid credit decisions while the customer waits in the store.
DCX Accused of Intimidation
The controversy over DaimlerChrysler AG’s lending policies in Chicago, where the company is under a boycott and sales of the automaker’s vehicles continue to erode, appears to have escalated. Two longtime Chicago automobile dealers accuse DaimlerChrysler of harassing them because they plan to testify in a federal lawsuit on behalf of a former dealer, who accuses the automaker of racist lending policies. They say the company has made unreasonable requests for documents through subpoenas.