Young auto care industry professionals attending this year’s AutoZone National Sales Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, had the chance to see the newest products and explore networking opportunities with their industry peers through the Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG).

Established in 2014, YANG is a rapidly growing program offered by the Auto Care Association that is proving to be beneficial to businesses seeking to cultivate the next generation of leadership. YANG’s mission to help young professionals establish a circle of peers to grow alongside throughout their careers resonated positively with the meeting’s attendees, attracting 100 new members to the group on the spot at the group’s exhibit booth at the AutoZone National Sales Meeting.

“AutoZone is proud to support our young professionals through our AZ NEXTGEN business resource group and its connection to YANG and the Auto Care Association,” said Lani Glancy, AutoZone’s director, diversity and talent development, customer satisfaction. “Both AZ NEXTGEN and YANG offer powerful networking and career development opportunities for our industry’s future leaders. Leveraging YANG’s regional meet-ups and through its own sponsored events, AZ NEXTGEN will help our team members explore the many career opportunities available to them at AutoZone and in the broad, continually evolving automotive aftermarket industry.”

YANG provides auto care professionals under the age of 40 the opportunity to network with industry peers, enhance knowledge and improve leadership capabilities. According to Harvard Business Review, research shows that these opportunities are often linked to “increased productivity, improved capacity to innovate and faster advancements” in the workplace, beneficial to any employer.

“Networking is in our name. It is the core of this group. These events are what ties us all together in this great big industry,” said JR Bishop, Federated Auto Parts, chair, YANG. “The enthusiasm for the YANG program demonstrates that there is a gap that our program is filling and these companies can benefit from fostering the future of the auto industry.”

The new 2017 YANG Report provides readers with information on YANG’s latest accomplishments, future initiatives, corporate sponsorship opportunities, regional meet-up event hosting opportunities, testimonials from current YANG members and encouragement of support for YANG’s mission from industry leaders. To view the latest YANG Report and see how to infuse YANG into your corporate culture, click here.