RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — The lineup of speakers has been announced for “Survival in a Changing Aftermarket,” the 2007 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) program, slated for May 8-9, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago.

The GAAS 2007 program will begin with a special opening presentation at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8, featuring a new video about the GAAS scholarship, which is funded by Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Automotive Service Association (ASA) and Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA). Pete Kornafel, vice chairman of CARQUEST and chairman of the GAAS scholarship committee, will announce the number of scholarship presented, including the 2007 awards.

Speakers for the 2007 GAAS include:

• “Survival in a Global Economy…Winners and Losers” – William Strauss, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago;

• “What Can We Learn About Service from Lexus?” – Nancy Fein, vice president – parts, service, customer satisfaction and training, Lexus;

• Luncheon speaker – Bob Lutz, vice chairman, General Motors Corp.

• “It’s a New Ball Game. Which Team is Winning the Service and Repair Battle?” – Dennis Des Rosiers, Des Rosiers Automotive Consultants Inc.;

• “From Two Wheels to Four Wheels at Breakneck Speed” – Cynthia Cohen, founder and president, Strategic Mindshare;

• “Multicultural Marketing” – Kelly McDonald, McDonald Marketing;

• “Be Car Care Aware Update” video – Kathleen Schmatz, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA);

• “Wall Street Perspective” – Tony Cristello, BB&T.

Panel discussions also included in the program are:

• “It’s a Global Aftermarket After All” – moderated by Dave Caracci, chairman, University of the Aftermarket Foundation Board of Trustees, and featuring panelists David Coolidge, Robert Bosch Corp. Sales Group; Richard Shiozaki, Denso Sales California Inc.; Mike Howarth, KYB America LLC; and Ricardo Vidal, Clevite Mexico Corp.;

• “Do You Know Where You Are Going To?” – moderated by Steve Handschuh, Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), and featuring Peter Morse, Morse Automotive Corp.; and Larry Magee, Bridgestone/Firestone;

• "Changing the Culture in Aftermarket Training: Perspective of the Independent Repairer" – moderated by Ron Pyle, Automotive Service Association (ASA), and featuring Bill Tyson, Bill Tyson Auto Center; George Witt, George Witt Service Inc.; Douglas Kirchdorfer, Downing Street Garage; Victor Tarasik, Vic’s Precision Automotive;

• “Technology Standards for a Flat, Fast, Efficient Aftermarket” – moderated by Keith Pretty, Northwood University, and featuring Nick Porrini, Technologue Inc.; Gary Nix, AP Exhaust; and Andreas Assmann, TecDoc Informations System.

Other events at GAAS 2007 include:

The top two teams from Northwood University’s Leadership 2.0 team competition will present their answers to “How to Survive in the Changing Aftermarket” at the GAAS program.

The second annual Polk Aftermarket Inventory Efficiency Award will be presented by R. L. Polk & Co. during this year’s Symposium and is designed to recognize and reward outstanding aftermarket companies for process improvements relative to inventory efficiency. R. L. Polk & Co. is the corporate sponsor of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium.

The GAAS program is a joint professional education effort of the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA), Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association (APRA), Automotive Service Association (ASA), Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), Motorist Assurance Program (MAP), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), Tire Industry Association (TIA) and University of the Aftermarket.

All of the net proceeds from the event go toward funding industry scholarships. The GAAS scholarship fund awarded a total of 133 students’ $1,000 GAAS scholarships in 2006. In its 12-year history, more than 1,000 students have received the award and over $1 million has been invested in aftermarket education. Details about the GAAS scholarship program are available at http://www.automotivescholarships.com.

Participants who register by Friday, March 23, receive the early bird discount of $200. Registration fees are $695 for the sponsoring associations’ members’ first registrant and $595 for each additional representative. After Friday, March 23, fees increase by $200 respectively. Non member registration is $895 for the first registrant and $795 for each additional representative. After Monday, Feb. 27, fees are $1,095 for the company’s first registrant and $995 for each additional representative.

GAAS program registration information is available from the sponsoring associations or online at http://www.globalsymposium.org.