LAS VEGAS — Attendees were learning about parts and products at AAPEX, but some people already are looking forward to the 2011 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS).
GAAS leaders announced next year’s theme Wednesday afternoon at AAPEX and honored past scholarship winners. The theme for 2011 will be “Aftermarket Fast Froward: What You Need to Know to Stay Ahead.”
Scholarships have been added to the lineup for the coming year, as well. The Women’s Board of the Car Care Council will award one $1,000 scholarship to a female student planning to be a technician. There also will be two $1,000 awards and one $2.500 award plus a trip to AAPEX 2011 for female students who have completed one year of technician training.
Affinia also has established three $2,500 scholarships in memory of Larry McCurdy, who passed away this year.
These are in addition the 155 scholarships GAAS awarded in 2010. Among those 155 is the 1,500th to Charles Grospitch, from Cleveland who is an automotive high performance student at University of Northwest Ohio.
Pete Kornafel, chairman of the GAAS Scholarship Selection Committee, says most of these students are sticking with their training and ending up in the aftermarket. Among past recipients through 2006 who have finishing school and been surveyed, 61 percent are working in the aftermarket and 22 percent are technicians at vehicle dealers.
“We feel like we’re chasing recipients where more than 80 percent of them are making, buying or using aftermarket parts,” Kornafel says.
In addition to announcing scholarship information, leaders released speaker information for the 2011 event. Mark Seng with R.L. Polk & Co. reports that the company again will sponsore the Polk Inventory Efficiency Award.
Speakers who will address GAAS 2011 include Tony Cristell, BB&T Capital Markets; David Cole, Center for Automotive Research; Chris Chesney, CARQUEST Technical Institute; David Portalatin, NPD Group; and William Strauss, Chicago Federal Reserve. Two panel discussions have been set. Donna Wagner, Northwood University online professor, will moderate a panel of women in the aftermarket, while Ed Szubielski of Federal-Mogul will lead a presentation on the Latin American aftermarket.