Alliance Establishes Pat Biermann Memorial Heavy Duty Scholarship
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By Counterman
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc. announced Christen Vasquez has been promoted to Events and Hospitality Manager, effective May 2026. In her expanded role, Vasquez will lead the planning and execution of Alliance events and hospitality initiatives, enhancing shareholder engagement and customer experiences while supporting industry partnerships.
“Christen has made an immediate impact on our organization through her professionalism, creativity and ability to execute exceptional events,” said John C. Washbish, president and CEO of the Alliance. “She has demonstrated outstanding leadership and brought a level of experience and strategic thinking that elevates every event and interaction. We are excited to see her continue to grow in this new role.”
Vasquez joined the Alliance in May, 2025 as events and marketing specialist, bringing more than 20 years of experience in event planning, hospitality, marketing strategy and brand development. Throughout her career, she has successfully planned and executed high-impact corporate events, conferences, trade shows, experiential activations and customer engagement programs ranging from intimate executive gatherings to large-scale events hosting thousands of attendees.
Since joining the Alliance, Vasquez has played a key role in managing event strategy and execution, including logistics, hospitality experiences, vendor partnerships, and branded marketing initiatives. She will collaborate in hosting Alliance meetings and shareholder events, customer experiences and other large-scale meetings like the upcoming Automotive Parts Services Group National Conference.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue growing with the Alliance,” said Vasquez. “Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside an amazing team and supporting events that deliver tremendous value to our members and partners. I look forward to continuing to create meaningful experiences and building on the momentum we’ve established.”
Vasquez will continue working closely with Alliance leadership, members, and industry partners to support the organization’s event and hospitality initiatives.
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view proudly presented link hidden, please login to view (GPD) with the 2026 Receiver’s Choice Award at the Auto Care Association’s Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN) Knowledge Exchange Conference, held May 11–14 in Atlanta. The award recognizes GPD’s commitment to delivering high-quality, accurate and complete product content, along with its dedication to continuous improvement and industry best practices. The Receiver’s Choice Award honors organizations that provide exceptional content, including ACES, PIES, digital assets, and customer-specific formats. Recipients are selected by content receivers who support ACPN and are evaluated based on accuracy, timeliness, completeness, consistency, and overall data integrity.
The 2026 award was presented by Lance Brierley, director of technology solutions, and Jimmy Golden, director of eCommerce solutions at Alliance Headquarters.
“GPD’s commitment to maintaining clean, accurate, and timely content has made a measurable impact across our data ecosystem,” said Jimmy Golden. “Their team consistently demonstrates a strong understanding of the standards and responsiveness required to support our distribution and sales efforts.”
“What set GPD apart is not only the quality of their data, but also their proactive approach to collaboration and continuous improvement,” added Lance Brierley. “They’ve shown a clear dedication to advancing content excellence in a way that benefits the entire network.”
Global Parts Distributors was recognized for its outstanding performance in content delivery and for playing a key role in strengthening the digital foundation of product representation across the Alliance network.
link hidden, please login to view congratulates Global Parts Distributors on this well-deserved recognition and looks forward to continued collaboration and success. Pictured from Left to Right: Lance Brierley, John Johnson, Kassandra Dore, Natalie Houseman and Jimmy Golden.
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view has recognized Truck-Lite and ECCO as its latest suppliers to earn the VIPAR Heavy Duty Strategic Partner (VSP) designation. The two companies, both part of Clarience Technologies, join a group of suppliers that demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting the organization’s distributors, fleets and strategic initiatives across the heavy-duty aftermarket. “Truck-Lite and ECCO bring exceptional value to our distributor network through their commitment to innovation, safety, and service,” said Larry Griffin, vice president of program management for VIPAR Heavy Duty. “Their strong support of fleets, investment in data quality, and product offerings that extend across key international markets align closely with our strategic priorities. We are pleased to welcome them as Strategic Partners.”
Designation Criteria and Program Support
Truck-Lite and ECCO earned the designation by meeting key criteria established by
link hidden, please login to view, including active support of fleets through the organization’s National Accounts Program. The companies also contributed product content to PARTSPHERE PIM®, VIPAR Heavy Duty’s product information management system, and delivered comprehensive product programs that serve both VIPAR Heavy Duty and Power Heavy Duty distributors. “We are honored that Truck-Lite and ECCO have been recognized as VIPAR Heavy Duty Strategic Partners,” said Brian Olsen, executive vice president and president, Visibility Solutions, at Clarience Technologies. “This designation reflects our shared commitment to supporting distributors and fleets with innovative, high-quality solutions. We value our partnership and look forward to continued collaboration to deliver value across the heavy-duty aftermarket.”
Benefits of VSP Designation
Suppliers that earn the VSP designation benefit from enhanced visibility and engagement opportunities, including special recognition and priority positioning at the IMPACT Conference. They also receive expanded branding across distributor touchpoints and increased networking and collaboration with the VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies team and distributor members.
Truck-Lite and ECCO join the VSP group alongside Baldwin Filters, Donaldson Company, East Penn, Grote, Prestone, Tectran and Tramec.
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By Counterman
The
link hidden, please login to view (ACPN), a community of the Auto Care Association, is now accepting applications for its Leadership 2.0 Scholarship, which will award one ACPN member the opportunity to attend the University of the Aftermarket’s Leadership 2.0 Program. “This scholarship reflects ACPN’s commitment to developing strong leaders within the content community,” said Joe Thomas, scholarship chair of the ACPN Council. “By supporting participation in Leadership 2.0, we’re helping members grow personally and professionally while advancing the industry as a whole.”
About the Leadership 2.0 Program
The Leadership 2.0 Program is a postgraduate-level leadership and business education experience designed to support the development of auto care industry leaders. Leadership 2.0 offers a two-week curriculum that blends theory with real-world application of leadership principles specific to the auto care industry.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, applicants must be:
A current member of the ACPN community; and Employed by an Auto Care Association member company. CEUs and Scholarship Coverage
Graduates of the Leadership 2.0 Program will receive 7.0 CEUs toward their Automotive Content Professional (ACP) and Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) designations. The scholarship is valued at $6,650 and covers tuition, course materials and meals. The scholarship recipient is responsible for their own travel and hotel accommodations.
Program Sessions and Locations
The first session of Leadership 2.0 is scheduled for Aug. 9–13, 2026, at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. The second session will take place in March 2027 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Application Information
For more information about the ACPN Leadership 2.0 scholarship, including a complete list of eligibility requirements and the application, visit the
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By Counterman
The
link hidden, please login to view (ACPN), a community of the Auto Care Association, is now accepting applications for its Leadership 2.0 Scholarship, which will award one ACPN member the opportunity to attend the University of the Aftermarket’s Leadership 2.0 Program. “This scholarship reflects ACPN’s commitment to developing strong leaders within the content community,” said Joe Thomas, scholarship chair of the ACPN Council. “By supporting participation in Leadership 2.0, we’re helping members grow personally and professionally while advancing the industry as a whole.”
About the Leadership 2.0 Program
The Leadership 2.0 Program is a postgraduate-level leadership and business education experience designed to support the development of auto care industry leaders. Leadership 2.0 offers a two-week curriculum that blends theory with real-world application of leadership principles specific to the auto care industry.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, applicants must be:
A current member of the ACPN community; and Employed by an Auto Care Association member company. CEUs and Scholarship Coverage
Graduates of the Leadership 2.0 Program will receive 7.0 CEUs toward their Automotive Content Professional (ACP) and Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) designations. The scholarship is valued at $6,650 and covers tuition, course materials and meals. The scholarship recipient is responsible for their own travel and hotel accommodations.
Program Sessions and Locations
The first session of Leadership 2.0 is scheduled for Aug. 9–13, 2026, at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. The second session will take place in March 2027 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Application Information
For more information about the ACPN Leadership 2.0 scholarship, including a complete list of eligibility requirements and the application, visit the
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