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WIX Filters Launches VarioPleat Technology
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By Counterman
Advance Auto Parts announced a shakeup of its leadership team on Aug. 23, as the company reported flat second-quarter sales and a steep drop in earnings and operating income.
Shane O’Kelly, who has served as the CEO of Home Depot subsidiary HD Supply since 2020, will take over as president and CEO effective Sept. 11.
Outgoing CEO Tom Greco, who announced his planned retirement in February, “will stay on as an advisor to ensure a seamless transition,” according to the company. Greco has served as president and CEO since April 2016.
Prior to joining Home Depot, O’Kelly was the CEO of PetroChoice, the nation’s largest distributor of lubricants and lubrication solutions. O’Kelly, 54, served as a captain in the U.S. Army in the 1990s and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, along with a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
link hidden, please login to viewShane O’Kelly (photo courtesy of the Home Depot) Gene Lee, interim executive chair for Advance, spoke highly of O’Kelly during the company’s second-quarter conference call.
“We talked to a lot of people, and by far Shane was the best person for this role,” Lee said. “ … I think that he is a car enthusiast. He has sold into the channel before. He loves the business, and I think his leadership style is perfect for where we are in our journey and what we need.”
Lee noted that a number of good candidates were bound by non-compete agreements.
“But even so, when it was all said and done, Shane O’ Kelly was by far our best candidate for this role in the current situation,” Lee said. “He is well-educated, [has a] strong, disciplined background, and he’s a thoughtful human being with a real focus on customers.”
Advance also named Tony Iskander as interim chief financial officer, effective Aug. 18. Iskander succeeds Jeff Shepherd, who departed from Advance, effective Aug. 18.
Iskander has more than 25 years of finance and accounting experience and served as the company’s senior vice president, finance and treasurer since 2020. Prior to joining Advance in 2017, he spent more than a decade at Hillrom, where he held various finance roles of increasing responsibility.
Advance said a search for a permanent CFO is underway, with the help of a leading executive-search firm.
“We thank Jeff for his contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Lee said in a news release. “Advance is fortunate to have a seasoned executive in Tony to assume the CFO role on an interim basis. I am very confident that Tony will lead the finance team through a seamless transition and work closely with Advance’s new CEO when Shane officially joins in September.”
Coinciding with the leadership shakeup, Advance announced that the company is launching “a comprehensive operational and strategic review.”
“We’re executing a number of operational improvements including inventory-optimization initiatives, improving asset productivity across the enterprise, investments in our front-line organization to reduce turnover and disciplined cost controls, which we expect to benefit the cost structure and working capital while strengthening Advance for the long term,” Lee said during the conference call. “However, we know there’s more work to be done, and the team is focused on building on these actions and looking for ways to drive even stronger performance and enhanced value.”
On Aug. 23, Advance reported second-quarter net sales of $2.7 billion, up 0.8% over second-quarter 2023. Comparable-store sales ticked 0.6% lower on a year-over-year basis.
Second-quarter diluted earnings per common share were $1.43, down from $2.38 in second-quarter 2022. Operating income was $134.4 million, down from $201.7 million in second-quarter 2022.
“Coming into the quarter, we knew Q2 was going to be challenging and that the investments we’re making in both inventory to help improve availability and strategic pricing to maintain competitive price targets would build through the year,” Greco said during the conference call. “ … We delivered net sales growth in the quarter. However, the balance of our Q2 financial metrics remain challenged. As [Lee] noted, while we’re executing some operational improvements, there are further actions that need to be taken to accelerate profitable growth.”
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By Counterman
The Business Technology Council (BTC), a council under MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, announced that the deadline to apply for its Technology Innovation Award has been extended to Friday, Aug. 18.
The award recognizes technology-solution/service providers that introduce innovations that support, enhance and/or advance aftermarket processes.
Technology innovations must support one of the BTC’s areas of focus. These types of technologies can include:
Customer-Facing Technologies – Cataloging and product data, EDI/e-commerce, mobile, web services, e-tailing, RFID, QR codes, bar codes, POS data, data warehouses, S&OP Information Technologies – Cyber and network security, big data, BI, data analytics, cloud computing, IT outsourcing, ERP, MES, CRM After the application-submission deadline, finalists will be notified on Aug. 31. The finalists then will present their innovations during the BTC fall meeting on Sept. 18, and BTC members will vote on the winner.
The winner of the award will be announced at the 2023 Technology Conference, Oct. 8-12 in Atlanta.
Past winners of the award include Dorman’s “Where to Buy” platform (2022), VizSeek’s Visual Search (2021) and OptiCat’s Automated Loadsheets (2020).
“We have received an incredible response so far for the Technology Innovation Award and wanted to ensure everyone had ample time to get their applications in,” said Chris Gardner, senior vice president of Programs & Technology at MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, about the decision to extend the application deadline. “We look forward to reviewing the applications and recognizing the top innovation.”
To apply, visit
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By Counterman
The Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN), a community of the Auto Care Association, announced the launch of its first-ever annual sponsorship program.
The annual sponsorship program will allow companies to show their support of the ACPN community and the educational advancement of content professionals across the industry, as well as provide year-round promotion of their companies to thousands of content professionals.
Sponsorship dollars are directly used to support ACPN’s mission to “Educate, Inspire and Connect” industry professionals who specialize in the management of product-related content. This includes but is not limited to ACPN programs such as:
ACPN Pipeline On-Demand Media Content Annual Knowledge Exchange Conference Content Excellence Awards ACP Designation ACPN Scholarship The annual sponsorship program offers five tiers of engagement: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Gold. Sponsorship benefits within these tiers can range from logo recognition on theACPN webpage to recognition at the ACPN Chair’s Dinner and Entertainment Event Sponsor at the annual Auto Care Connect Week event.
The ACPN sponsorship program is available only to Auto Care Association member companies. For more information and to purchase, please visit
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By Counterman
WIX Filters announced the “Win with WIX” promotion, which is designed to incentivize professional installers to switch from their current filter brands to premium WIX-branded filters, while encouraging DIFM consumers to choose premium service options.
Installer customers who switch to WIX-brand filters and place a qualifying opening order for $350 or more during the promotional period will automatically be registered in the “Win with WIX” sweepstakes. In addition, all participating customers will receive a point-of-sale kit to display in their service centers that includes a WIX-branded clock, bay banner and other point-of-sale materials designed to help educate customers about the benefits of using premium WIX filters.
The sweepstakes features a VIP fan experience weekend for two installer winners, which will be selected by random drawing. Each winner and a guest will have VIP-suite seating at the Bank of America ROVAL 400 NASCAR Series Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this October. Winners also will receive an exclusive tour of the Hendrick Motorsports campus, the Hendrick Museum and the main WIX manufacturing facility in Gastonia.
“We are very excited about the ‘Win with WIX’ installer promotion,” said Tina Davis, senior marketing manager – WIX Global and US. “The message conveyed by the point-of-sale materials to DIFM consumers is straightforward and to the point by calling out the important benefits of using superior filtration products. And installers will reap the rewards of expanding premium services in their shops.”
The “Win with WIX” promotion runs from June 27 to Aug. 25, 2023. No purchase is necessary to enter. For complete sweepstakes rules and regulations, visit
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By Counterman
NTN, the parent company of BCA Bearings, announced the launch of the BCA Bearings axle-nut torque-specification lookup application.
After a soft launch in March, BCA is rolling out the application for all applicable BCA wheel bearings and hub assemblies. The user-friendly app provides quick and easy access to the torque-spec data needed to professionally install wheel bearings and hub assemblies, NTN noted.
The BCA Torque-Spec App features an intuitive user interface that enables users to quickly navigate to a familiar year/make/model search format to find the specs they need. The app also provides users with quick links to BCA tech tips, videos and product information.
“We are excited to launch this value-added tool for our customers,” said Matt Gorski, manager of product management. “Following the torque specifications during installation is critical to the life of the wheel bearing, which impacts the reliability and safety of a vehicle. The BCA Torque-Spec App will ensure that our customers always have the data they need for proper and safe installation of wheel bearings at their fingertips.”
The app is accessible exclusively via a QR code on a printed insert card included with applicable BCA wheel bearings and hub assemblies. The app provides numerous advantages over the printed booklet it replaces, chief among them being the data provided by the app is updated in real time as new data becomes available, providing accurate torque specs for even the latest vehicle models. The booklet would become outdated between print runs, NTN noted.
Going forward, the BCA team will continuously evaluate app usage and user feedback to inform future updates that will help improve the user experience and add additional value for our customers.
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