The Timken Co. announced its 2015 Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturer’s Representative Awards this week. Timken distributed the awards to the recipients at a recognition breakfast to kick off AAPEX 2015 in Las Vegas.
Timken awarded its 2015 Representative of the Year honor to Jim Kruger of NA Williams-Midwest. Kruger is a regional manager for traditional automotive distribution in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
“Jim’s career in the automotive aftermarket spans more than 30 years,” said Mike Peace, Timken national sales manager for the automotive aftermarket. “His experience learning the industry from the ground up with a local distributor as counterman through store manager has contributed to his success as a manufacturer’s sales rep. Jim’s patience and perseverance has served him well over the years and rewarded him greatly in the past year.”
In addition, Timken selected Hirsig-Frazier as the 2015 Manufacturers’ Representative Agency of the Year, based on the agency’s long-term commitment and understanding of the automotive aftermarket that has led to its current success and planning for the future.
“Hirsig-Frazier has been serving the automotive aftermarket for more than 80 years,” explained Peace. “But their recent detailed succession planning has ensured that they are prepared to serve Timken and our customers in the future as well.”
Hirsig-Frazier, headquartered in Richardson, Texas, has invested significant time and efforts into its next generation of sales professionals. Working with local and surrounding state universities, they worked to recruit and train a new team of automotive aftermarket sales professionals.
In addition, Hirsig-Frazier has continued its commitment to the Timken product specialist training initiative, as well as the Timken Demand Insight inventory evaluation program.
