The Automotive Distribution Network and Auto Pride have joined together in a “strategic alliance” allowing Auto Pride to keep its mark in the industry while aligning itself with another group.
The announcement, made Wednesday afternoon, has been in the works for the last three months. Auto Pride now is a marketing entity within the Network, says Bob Barstow, VP marketing/advertising for the Network.
“They’re going to maintain their own brand of Auto Pride, just like when we did CMB (Network), their maintaining their own identity under the umbrella of the Network,” Barstow says.
That means that locations with the Auto Pride signs still will fly that flag.
“Auto Pride will maintain its own Board of Directors and control over the marketing direction of the group,” says Mike Lambert, president of the Network. “Network Headquarters will perform the group functions of product research and accounting, in addition to providing assistance in marketing and IT.”
Ron Sutton, chairman of Auto Pride, says the alliance makes sense for the group on many levels.
“The footprint of the Network provides more efficient and cost effective service for existing and future business for our organization,” he says.
The Network also will benefit from the alliance, with the addition of Auto Pride to the fold, according to Barstow. David Honig, chairman of the Network, agrees.
“The addition of Auto Pride to the Network, along with the recent integration of CMB Network, now puts our association among the very elite and unique of the program distribution groups in North America,” he says.
For more information, visit www.networkhq.org.
