When the Auto Care Association holds its highly anticipated Auto Care Connect event next month in Orlando, Florida, one of the most valuable events taking place will be hosted by the Young Auto Care Network Group. Better known as YANG for short, this group is dedicated to supporting and growing the careers of aftermarket professionals under 40 and is one of the association’s most active peer networks.

Just in time for this year’s annual YANG Leadership Conference, AMN had the chance to sit down with current YANG Chair Cotter Collins, account manager for Standard Motor Products, to talk a little more about what’s on the docket for this year’s event.

“I hear all the time, folks asking, ‘How do I get more involved with YANG?’ As a networking group dedicated to professional development, going to the Leadership Conference is the place to start. We’ve tried to incorporate more professional development opportunities, and management training. Plus, the folks you meet and the relationships that you start to build at this conference are second-to-none. We want to help out along the way with intentional networking that goes far beyond ‘meet me at the bar.’ It really opens you up to an opportunity to talk to some of the top names within the industry, as well.”

In addition to training and networking opportunities, Collins shared that the YANG Leadership Conference agenda also will feature the “5 for 5” program, which will give YANG members a chance to present to the entire conference audience on a topic of their choosing.  

“We encourage our membership to submit a 5-slide, 5-minute presentation to deliver for the entire YANG Leadership Conference audience. This allows our members to take ownership of the content of the event, develop their presentation skills, and get recognition from their peers and industry leaders alike. A great opportunity for professional development and getting involved in YANG,” Collins noted.

As of press time, YANG counted roughly 1,600 aftermarket professionals among its membership. As it’s only open to those under 40, once someone “ages out,” they are encouraged to step into volunteerism with one of the Auto Care committees. 

“One of the missions of YANG is to serve as everyone’s first step into Auto Care,” Collins said. “It kind of opens the door and helps folks understand what the Auto Care Association does, what it is and how they can become more involved. So, we hope that YANG is just the first step and then it kind of organically moves into the rest of Auto Care. This year, at the Leadership Conference, we’re actually going to have a panel session where we have chairs from other communities and committees within Auto Care talk about some of their initiatives, and also speak about leadership and the hot industry topics we’ve discussed at the event. These are the folks that are going to bat for us to make sure that the future of the industry remains strong.”

The Auto Care Connect event, including the YANG Leadership Conference, will take place May 23-24, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida.

CEU credits available

All attendees are eligible to receive continuing education units (CEU) credits toward their Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) or Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP) professional designations.

For those who may need financial assistance to attend the annual YANG Leadership Conference, YANG also offers the Next Step scholarship, in addition to providing scholarship opportunities for the University of the Aftermarket Leadership 2.0 Executive Education program.

To learn more, click here.