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APA’s Steve Tucker And His ‘Island Of Misfit Toys’ [Video]
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By Counterman
In our cover story for
link hidden, please login to view, we asked distribution leaders to reflect on the successes and challenges of 2022 and share some of their insights for the industry in 2023. Here’s our Q&A with Steve Tucker, president of Automotive Parts Associates (APA).
AMN/CM: What did your organization accomplish in 2022 that you are most proud of?
ST: I am so proud of our team here at APA/TruStar headquarters as well as our shareholders and members. The acquisition of TruStar at the beginning of 2022 not only significantly increased our membership but also opened the door to access additional product categories for all APA/TruStar distributors and increased our footprint to better access national account opportunities. Probably just as big for us is the increase in investments we have made in technology. Providing our distributors with easy access to data that is tailored to their market area is absolutely key in being able to structure inventories to best serve our customers. The adoption rate of these new tools has exceeded my expectation, and I know this will continue to be a big part of the services we provide. Finally, we have grown APA by recruiting distributors who may have not currently been part of a group and see the value of joining APA, and also by recognizing the opportunities bringing those members into APA provides to not only recruit but to our existing shareholders. Bringing non-direct purchases back into the group makes us all stronger not only for the group itself, but it also makes us more valuable to our supplier partners as well. Life is good here at APA!
AMN/CM: How can the independent aftermarket parts and service segments best prepare to repair the car of tomorrow as ADAS, EVs and other technologies become more prominent?
ST: This has become a “go-to” topic just about any time we gather. Aside from getting better access to the information we need to effectively make repairs, I just don’t see a major problem. The amount of parts and repairs actually involving the current internal combustion powerplant in today’s vehicle is minimal compared to repairs being performed on the remainder of the vehicle systems. The chassis and braking systems on EVs and ICE vehicles are very similar, and parts availability for EVs is rapidly improving, so I am quite optimistic we will be able to adequately service these vehicles just as we do with today’s ICE-powered platforms. The other technologies such as ADAS, LiDAR, etc., are being repaired to some degree today and as vehicles with those technologies become an even bigger piece of the car parc, I believe our customers will embrace the repair opportunities just as they have with other new technologies. One can argue that repair frequency for EVs and emerging technologies will be less than what we currently see. However, I think the types of repairs will be more “high-tech,” and as such the repair dollars associated with the change should improve in both parts and labor segments. As an industry, we need to remain agile. We must be prepared to support EVs and vehicles that are dependent on ADAS, while at the same time providing parts and service to older vehicles. Our professional customers should be able to rely on us to keep them abreast of trends, tools and the training necessary as they continue to service a wide range of vehicles. We’ll be making this a top priority, especially as the electrification and ADAS categories continue to become major growth contributors. I would also mention this increases the importance of Right to Repair for our industry. As systems become more complex, we need to ensure that professional shops have access to critical data that helps repair vehicles. We will continue to advocate for Right to Repair with industry partners.
AMN/CM: What do you feel is the greatest threat facing the automotive aftermarket right now?
ST: I strongly believe that threats are just opportunities you haven’t yet mastered. Getting access to information from the OEMs that will allow our technician customers to keep doing what they do is one of the biggest threat/opportunities we face today in my opinion. Another major issue is not peculiar to our industry and that is one of finding and retaining employees. From the repair facility through the distribution chain and to our supplier partners we are all facing the same challenges on this issue. For a lot of us this industry has been more of a lifestyle than just a career, and we need to pass this passion on to those standard bearers of the future.
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By Counterman
Steve Handschuh, a highly respected automotive aftermarket veteran who joined the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) in 2006, died on Aug. 22.
A native of Baltimore, Handschuh joined MEMA as president and chief operating officer of MEMA’s Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) division and was named president and CEO of MEMA in 2013. Handschuh retired in December 2018.
An aftermarket veteran of more than 40 years, Handschuh is known for his service to NAPA Auto Parts/Genuine Parts Co. for 18 years, including serving as NAPA president from 1998 to 2004. Handschuh later served as senior vice president, commercial, at AutoZone.
He began his career as an outside salesman for Mighty Auto Parts, where he rose to vice president of sales and marketing.
“MEMA and our industry have lost a great one,” said Bill Long, MEMA president and CEO. “Steve was a dynamic leader, consummate professional and friend to all who worked with and for him at MEMA, and he left a tremendous legacy from his leadership. He will be mourned by the entire MEMA family, both employees and membership.
“Steve was a man of integrity and always spoke highly of his wife, Joann, and children, making them his top priority. He was deeply involved in serving in his local Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall and helping its young community. As a son of Charm City, Steve was a lifelong Orioles fan. Steve was also passionate about music and was undoubtably a superfan of The Beatles.”
In 2018, Handschuh received the MEMA Triangle Award – the organization’s highest honor – for his vision, passion and dedication to the interests of the automotive industry.
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By Counterman
During his recent “AMN Drivetime” podcast interview with Babcox Media CEO Bill Babcox, Neil Sethi, president and CEO of
link hidden, please login to view, shares his fascinating journey from studying biology and medicine as an undergrad to shifting gears and finishing with an MBA focused on finance. Throughout this journey, which continues today in his role at Transtar, some key themes prevail for Sethi: the desire to serve and a passion to innovate.
“The most critical value proposition for us is really to help our customers solve their problems,” said Sethi, adding later in the interview that, “I think what I learned in medical school does translate – believe it or not – into the role that I have [today]. At the end of the day, it’s all about working with great teams. It’s understanding people and understanding how to work together. It’s understanding how to work with people from all types of different backgrounds, with all different types of skill sets. [From] where I sit, it’s about really solving problems, finding opportunity and being innovative. And I think that part of what I learned about healthcare and in medical school actually continues with me to this day.”
In this episode of “AMN Drivetime,” Bill and Neil also dive into the following topics:
00:45 Transtar’s partnership with Blue Point Capital Partners
01:43 The launch of Transtar’s first non-transmission product offering
02:48 New management appointments and what skillsets Neil believes make for a strong leader
04:45 How Neil made the leap from studying medicine as an undergrad to getting an MBA focused on finance and why
09:26 Family business and learning from his father-in-law, successful entrepreneur Monte Ahuja
10:22 What’s next for Transtar
13:56 How Neil defines the Transtar culture
18:00 The inside scoop on Transtar’s collision repair business based in Detroit
20:07 Passion projects: Can you guess what Neil’s hidden talent might be?
22:58 The popular new Lightning Round!
AMN Drivetime is sponsored by link hidden, please login to view.
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By Counterman
During his recent “AMN Drivetime” podcast interview with Babcox Media CEO Bill Babcox, Neil Sethi, president and CEO of
link hidden, please login to view, shares his fascinating journey from studying biology and medicine as an undergrad to shifting gears and finishing with an MBA focused on finance. Throughout this journey, which continues today in his role at Transtar, some key themes prevail for Sethi: the desire to serve and a passion to innovate.
“The most critical value proposition for us is really to help our customers solve their problems,” said Sethi, adding later in the interview that, “I think what I learned in medical school does translate – believe it or not – into the role that I have [today]. At the end of the day, it’s all about working with great teams. It’s understanding people and understanding how to work together. It’s understanding how to work with people from all types of different backgrounds, with all different types of skill sets. [From] where I sit, it’s about really solving problems, finding opportunity and being innovative. And I think that part of what I learned about healthcare and in medical school actually continues with me to this day.”
In this episode of “AMN Drivetime,” Bill and Neil also dive into the following topics:
00:45 Transtar’s partnership with Blue Point Capital Partners
01:43 The launch of Transtar’s first non-transmission product offering
02:48 New management appointments and what skillsets Neil believes make for a strong leader
04:45 How Neil made the leap from studying medicine as an undergrad to getting an MBA focused on finance and why
09:26 Family business and learning from his father-in-law, successful entrepreneur Monte Ahuja
10:22 What’s next for Transtar
13:56 How Neil defines the Transtar culture
18:00 The inside scoop on Transtar’s collision repair business based in Detroit
20:07 Passion projects: Can you guess what Neil’s hidden talent might be?
22:58 The popular new Lightning Round!
AMN Drivetime is sponsored by link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view link hidden, please login to view The post
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-
By Counterman
During his recent “AMN Drivetime” podcast interview with Babcox Media CEO Bill Babcox, Neil Sethi, president and CEO of
link hidden, please login to view, shares his fascinating journey from studying biology and medicine as an undergrad to shifting gears and finishing with an MBA focused on finance. Throughout this journey, which continues today in his role at Transtar, some key themes prevail for Sethi: the desire to serve and a passion to innovate.
“The most critical value proposition for us is really to help our customers solve their problems,” said Sethi, adding later in the interview that, “I think what I learned in medical school does translate – believe it or not – into the role that I have [today]. At the end of the day, it’s all about working with great teams. It’s understanding people and understanding how to work together. It’s understanding how to work with people from all types of different backgrounds, with all different types of skill sets. [From] where I sit, it’s about really solving problems, finding opportunity and being innovative. And I think that part of what I learned about healthcare and in medical school actually continues with me to this day.”
In this episode of “AMN Drivetime,” Bill and Neil also dive into the following topics:
00:45 Transtar’s partnership with Blue Point Capital Partners
01:43 The launch of Transtar’s first non-transmission product offering
02:48 New management appointments and what skillsets Neil believes make for a strong leader
04:45 How Neil made the leap from studying medicine as an undergrad to getting an MBA focused on finance and why
09:26 Family business and learning from his father-in-law, successful entrepreneur Monte Ahuja
10:22 What’s next for Transtar
13:56 How Neil defines the Transtar culture
18:00 The inside scoop on Transtar’s collision repair business based in Detroit
20:07 Passion projects: Can you guess what Neil’s hidden talent might be?
22:58 The popular new Lightning Round!
AMN Drivetime is sponsored by link hidden, please login to view.
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