Registration Open for 2024 AWDA Business Conference
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view concluded its 2026 Business and Training Conference this weekend in Rogers, Arkansas, bringing together more than 700 automotive aftermarket professionals for three days of focused training, strategic insights, and industry collaboration. The event welcomed a broad cross-section of the aftermarket, including store managers, outside sales representatives, territory, regional, and district managers, independent owners and vendor partners—reinforcing Bumper to Bumper’s commitment to strengthening its network through education and shared success.
General sessions were led by CEO Fletcher Lord III and COO Ben Butler, who outlined
link hidden, please login to view, key operational focus areas, and ongoing efforts to drive performance across the network. Attendees also heard from keynote speaker Houston Nutt, a two-time SEC Coach of the Year and former head football coach at the University of Arkansas and Ole Miss. Drawing on his 19-season coaching career and experience as a CBS Sports analyst, Nutt delivered a message focused on resilience, accountability, and team culture—principles that closely align with the values driving success across the aftermarket. A central focus of the conference was hands-on training and professional development. Attendees participated in 51 breakout sessions led by channel partners, designed to strengthen product knowledge, enhance sales effectiveness, and improve operational execution. The vendor expo featured 90 companies, 113 booths, and 273 sales representatives, giving attendees direct access to new products, emerging technologies, and practical aftermarket solutions.
“This year’s ‘Red, White and Revved Up’ theme aligned with the upcoming 250th anniversary of America while also reflecting our 107-year legacy of growth and evolution,” said Elizabeth Estes, director of training. “It’s a powerful reminder of where we’ve been—and the momentum we continue to build together as an organization, industry and country.”
“The strength of our business comes down to our people, our partnerships, and our ability to execute,” said Fletcher Lord III, president & CEO. “This conference is about equipping our teams and our customers with the tools, knowledge, and relationships they need to grow.”
In addition to educational programming, the conference created multiple opportunities for networking and relationship-building, including a themed vendor expo and evening events that connected distributors, suppliers, and independent owners in a more informal setting.
The event concluded with a formal awards banquet recognizing top-performing channel partners and industry leaders, highlighting excellence across the Bumper to Bumper network.
With attendees representing more than a dozen states, the 2026 conference reinforced the critical role of collaboration, training, and supplier alignment—and reflects Bumper to Bumper’s continued investment in the future of the automotive aftermarket.
Photos by Shann Swift with Swift Shots Photography.
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By Counterman
NEXUS Automotive International’s global event, the NEXUS Business Forum, took place at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, between March 31 and April 2. The forum gathered 300 companies and more than 700 attendees from 96 countries.
It included the fourth edition of NEXUS Climate Day, “The Future is Ours” plenary session, and more than 3,000 speed-dating meetings that created new business opportunities and strengthened relationships within the N! Community. NEXUS CEO Gaël Escribe issued the “Lausanne Appeal,” urging the N! Community to embrace greater collaboration, particularly in unpredictable times, to achieve success and contribute positively to the overall automotive aftermarket industry.
“The Future is Ours” plenary session: unprecedented discussion with aftermarket associations
During “The Future is Ours” plenary session, NEXUS Automotive International hosted a roundtable bringing together, for the first time, leaders from influential aftermarket associations such as Bill Hanvey from the Auto Care Association and Chris Gardner from MEMA, representing the United States; Frank Schlehuber from Clepa and Sylvia Gotzen from Figiefa, representing Europe; and Wilson Ni of the Chinese Automotive Intelligence Society. During the session, the leaders of these organizations shared their insights into the short- and medium-term challenges that are redefining the industry.
Beyond identifying trends, they established a framework for cross-functional collaboration designed to advance the aftermarket ecosystem, turning regional concerns into a collective drive for progress.
“The Wise Guys” session: leaders share perspectives on the market’s evolution
A major highlight was “The Wise Guys” session including Arnd Franz, CEO of Mahle; Neil Fryer, vice president and general manager, global aftermarket, for PHINIA; Todd Hertzler, regional president, MA North America, Bosch; Cedric Dackam, president and general manager, automotive aftermarket, MANN+HUMMEL; Randy Buller, co-founder and chairman, The Parts Authority; and Gaël Escribe, NEXUS Automotive International’s CEO. This platform featured key industry players who shared perspectives on the market’s evolution.
In a display of strategic transparency, these leaders examined short- and medium-term challenges redefining the ecosystem. By establishing a framework for cross-functional collaboration, they turned individual concerns into a collective drive for progress and reinforced the N! Community’s role across the industry.
NEXUS Climate Day: from competitive advantage to value creation
The fourth
link hidden, please login to view Climate Day convened more than 300 participants to develop tangible solutions and share best practices. The event brought together sustainability specialists, suppliers and members of the N! Community, representing the entire NEXUS value chain. Panel discussions and proof-of-concept (POC) projects developed by Bosch, MANN+HUMMEL, SKF and TotalEnergies provided concrete guidelines for embedding sustainability within the industry. Escribe appealed for the foundation of an alliance to structure battery repair in Europe and territories where the EV car parc will generate major maintenance soon.
While individual efforts within the industry are taking shape, forming alliances across ecosystems can create the only answer to this major challenge: a collaborative approach.
Redesigned award ceremony
The annual
link hidden, please login to view award ceremony named DRiV as Supplier of the Year and Goldwagen as Member of the Year. In the heavy-duty category, Europart & Wijlhuizen were both recognized as Members of the Year. Individual honors went to industry leaders: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia from GSF was awarded Man of the Year, while Elodie Luce from TotalEnergies and Hasmeet Kaur from MANN+HUMMEL were both awarded Woman of the Year. North American partners Randy Buller from Parts Authority and Robert Roos from The Pronto Network were recognized with a Leadership Excellence Award and NEXUS Commitment Excellence Award.
ElringKlinger and MANN+HUMMEL shared Growth Champion in the Strategic Supplier category, while Purflux Group took the award for Preferred Supplier and ZF for Heavy-Duty. The bilstein group was named Customer Experience Champion.
NEXUS leadership on value creation and collaboration
“This Business Forum reflects the growing maturity of NEXUS and the new stage we are entering,” said Escribe. “We are becoming a group fully structured around high-value creation for our supplier partners, members, and the wider aftermarket ecosystem, in a context defined by transformation, growth, and collaboration. The 2026 NEXUS Business Forum has acted as a catalyst for building a more resilient aftermarket of tomorrow.”
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By OReilly Auto Parts
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (the “Company” or “O’Reilly”) (Nasdaq: ORLY), a leading retailer in the automotive aftermarket industry, announces the release date for its first quarter 2026 results as Wednesday, April 29, 2026, with a conference call to follow on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
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By Counterman
NEXUS Automotive International announced the appointment of Palle Willumsen as senior vice president of business development, effective March 16, 2026. Willumsen will lead business development efforts to support NEXUS’ market position and strengthen partnerships with major industry stakeholders. He will be responsible for executing NEXUS’ strategic objectives and ensuring continued growth.
Industry experience
Willumsen has more than 25 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket, holding senior positions across sales, marketing and general management. He began his career as a sales manager and later advanced to senior leadership roles including vice president of sales and marketing and general manager.
His extensive experience reflects his knowledge of the automotive sector and leadership capabilities. His commercial and strategic track record supports his new role at NEXUS Automotive International.
Executive comments
“We’re thrilled to welcome Palle to lead our business development. His deep understanding of
link hidden, please login to view and his extensive experience will reinforce our status as a global leader and will further align NEXUS with the expectations of our suppliers,” said Gaël Escribe, CEO of NEXUS. “Palle’s remarkable career within the industry will play a key role in shaping the future of the NEXUS group.” “I am very excited to join
link hidden, please login to view and to work with such a dynamic and forward-thinking community,” said Willumsen. “Having spent many years in the automotive aftermarket, I truly value the power of strong partnerships and collaboration. I look forward to working closely with the NEXUS team, members and suppliers to drive growth and create new opportunities.” The post
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