Auto-Wares Recognizes Six Companies with Supplier Awards
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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
The curtain has closed on
link hidden, please login to view’ 2026 Annual General Meeting, which was held March 20-23 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in Nashville. The successful event brought together nearly 300 APA shareholders, TruStar members, and supplier partners for several days of collaboration, strategic discussion, relationship building and recognition. The meeting opened with a lively welcome reception that gave attendees the opportunity to reconnect with industry colleagues and set the tone for a productive weekend, APA said. Date Night followed, providing suppliers with the opportunity to host shareholders and members for dinner and continue conversations in a more relaxed setting, helping strengthen relationships across the APA community.
Throughout the weekend, attendees also participated in scheduled one-on-one sessions featuring fast-paced, 20-minute meetings between shareholders, members, and supplier partners. This structured format encouraged productive discussions and allowed participants to connect with multiple partners while making the most of their time together.
In addition to these networking opportunities, attendees heard valuable updates on the state of the automotive aftermarket from Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association and Simeon Gutman, managing director of Morgan Stanley. Jason Popillion of Cyphernova also delivered a presentation exploring the expanding role of artificial intelligence and its growing influence across the automotive aftermarket.
APA President Steve Tucker welcomes the almost 300 attendees to the group’s annual conference and awards program. Bill Hanvey, Auto Care Association president and CEO, was a featured speaker at the APA event. The meeting concluded with the annual awards dinner, recognizing outstanding performance and long-standing commitment across the organization. The award winners are as follows:
Supplier Awards:
APA Supplier Champion Award – Gina Williams of Bosch
APA Supplier of the Year Award – FCS
Distinguished OE Partner Award – Denso
Outstanding Marketing Partner Award – DRiV
Cornerstone Award – Mevotech
Technology Award – Autologue
Content & Catalog Excellence Award – DRiV
Shareholder Awards:
Ambassador Award – Brown & Sons
Milestone Award – 50 Years – JR Auto Parts
Milestone Awards – 40 Years – H&H Wholesale Parts, Metric Auto Parts
Milestone Award – 30 Years – POJA Warehouse
New Member Recognition – Lang’s Auto Parts, Atlantic British, Prime Auto Parts, DEPSI Auto
“Bringing nearly 300 attendees together in Nashville created a tremendous environment for collaboration, meaningful conversations, and celebrating the strength of APA and TruStar,” said Steve Tucker, president of
link hidden, please login to view. “Meetings like this don’t happen without a great deal of planning behind the scenes, and I want to thank our APA staff, especially Jan Larson, our director of marketing, for delivering such a successful and engaging event for our shareholders, members, and supplier partners.” APA extends its sincere thanks to all attendees, presenters, and sponsors who contributed to making the 2026 AGM a resounding success. The organization looks forward to building on the momentum from this event as it continues to support its network throughout the year.
APA/TruStar’s 2027 Annual General Meeting is scheduled for March 12-16, in Charlotte, NC.
Supplier Partner Awards
Evening Reception – Entertainment
One-On-One Sessions
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view uses its Supplier Performance Management Program (SPM) to evaluate supplier achievements in product development, operations, aftermarket support and alignment with PACCAR’s key business objectives. The SPM Program drives collaboration and continuous improvement between PACCAR and its suppliers, which leads to performance enhancements and product innovations. SPM Master, Leader and Achiever status
link hidden, please login to view recognizes its top-performing suppliers in the SPM Program each year. This honor is given to suppliers that reach the SPM Master, Leader and Achiever status. “PACCAR is proud to honor the 2025 SPM award winners. Their performance in the SPM Program reflects the strength of our relationship and highlights their level of engagement. We greatly value their contributions to PACCAR’s success,” said Brennan Gourdie, vice president of global purchasing.
The 2025 SPM Master is: Horton
The 2025 SPM Leaders are:
Axalta Coating Systems
ConMet
Cummins Emission Solutions
Cummins
HORIKIRI / Mitsui
Hydro
Jost
Link Manufacturing
Metalsa
MSSL Wiring System
NIC Global
Pana Pacific
Paramont Mfg
PKC Group North America
Superior Trim
The 2025 SPM Achievers are:
Continental Tire
East Penn Manufacturing
Flexfab
Inteva Products
Johnson Welded Products
LEONI Wiring Systems
Lincoln Industries
MAHLE Industries
MEC
Norma Group
Ryerson
SAF-Holland
Vibracoustic
“We appreciate the commitment to quality, continuous performance improvement and investments these suppliers have made in supporting PACCAR,” said Laura Bloch, PACCAR senior vice president.
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view honored the suppliers shaping the future of the automotive aftermarket at its 15th annual 2026 Partnership Event, Thursday, March 12, in Atlanta. This gathering has long served as a milestone moment that brings together the industry’s most valued partners to celebrate shared achievements, align on strategy, and deepen the relationships that drive the business forward. “Our Supplier Partnership Event isn’t just a celebration, it’s a reflection of what we believe at NAPA: that the most successful businesses are built on a foundation of trust and collaboration,” said Danny Huffaker, senior vice president product & marketing. “Bringing our partners together each year is how we align on our plan to win and strengthen our relationships. We’re grateful to our partners for their continued investment in NAPA and for their shared commitment to innovation that is defining the future of our industry.”
Among the evening’s honors, the Spirit of NAPA Award carries a particularly rich legacy. Established more than 30 years ago, it recognizes an individual who truly embodies NAPA’s values, work ethic, and commitment to deep, lasting partnership.
The full list of this year’s winners is below:
Spirit of NAPA Award, Premium Guard Inc. (PGI)
Spirit of NAPA Award Recipient – Premium Guard Inc. (PGI) Premium Guard Inc. (PGI) is honored with the Spirit of NAPA Award for demonstrating exceptional overall performance, deep partnership, and a sustained commitment to NAPA’s success. Through industry-leading service levels, strategic investment in dedicated NAPA sales support, and strong collaboration on new product launches and market expansion, PGI has consistently aligned its efforts with NAPA’s goals.
Following one of the most significant product transitions in NAPA’s history, PGI stepped up in a meaningful way, working cross-functionally with our teams to support training, sales enablement, and market adoption. Their partnership has helped expand product coverage, drive market share growth, and ensure NAPA remains well positioned to serve customers across our network.
Through performance, collaboration, and shared commitment, PGI truly embodies the Spirit of NAPA.
Partnership Award, Chris Pruitt
Partnership Award Recipient – Chris Pruitt Chris Pruitt is recognized for decades of leadership. Over a remarkable 31-year career at East Penn Manufacturing, Chris helped guide the company through significant growth while strengthening its relationship with NAPA at every level.
Under his leadership, East Penn consistently supported key NAPA initiatives that drove market share growth through innovative and collaborative programs. Chris also demonstrated a deep commitment to giving back, proudly supporting the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund through fundraising efforts that honored those who have sacrificed for our country.
Known for his accessibility and collaborative spirit, from the store level to the executive team, Chris fostered a culture of open communication and true partnership. Now serving as Chairman of the Board, he leaves behind a legacy defined by trust, integrity, and a long-standing relationship between East Penn and NAPA built to endure for years to come.
Service Award, Valvoline
Service Award Recipient – Valvoline Valvoline is recognized for delivering exceptional service performance to the NAPA network, maintaining industry-leading fill rates and dependable on-time delivery. Their reliability and responsiveness ensure NAPA customers consistently receive the products they need when they need them.
Catalog Award, CRC
Catalog Award Recipient – CRC CRC is recognized for excellence in catalog content and data quality, demonstrating exceptional completeness, correctness, and reliability in product information. Their commitment to maintaining high standards ensures NAPA teams and customers have the accurate information they need to confidently identify the right products.
Quality Award, Old World Industries (OWI)
Quality Award Recipient – Old World Industries (OWI) Old World Industries (OWI) is recognized for its outstanding commitment to product quality and transparency, working closely with NAPA to provide comprehensive testing data and detailed quality documentation. Their proactive collaboration and dedication to continuous improvement help ensure the reliability and performance that NAPA customers expect.
Innovation Award, Milwaukee
Innovation Award Recipient – Milwaukee Milwaukee is recognized for driving innovation and growth within the NAPA network through the launch of more than 600 new SKUs in 2025 and the creation of exclusive trade in promotions that generated significant incremental sales. Their continued investment in new product development and sales enablement demonstrates a strong commitment to innovation and partnership with NAPA.
Indirect Supplier Award, The Variable Agency
Indirect Supplier Award Recipient – The Variable Agency The Variable Agency is recognized for its exceptional partnership and creative leadership in the brand transformation of Carlyle Tools. Through strategy, distinctive visual identity, and powerful storytelling, TVA helped reimagine Carlyle as a modern professional tool brand designed to resonate with the next generation of technicians.
Marketing Award, Dorman
Marketing Award Recipient – Dorman Dorman is recognized for outstanding collaboration with the NAPA marketing teams, investing in innovative campaigns and strong social media engagement that increased visibility and traffic at NAPA for the Dorman brand. Their commitment to creative marketing initiatives continues to expand awareness of Dorman products among technicians and customers across the industry.
Sales Award, Dorman
Sales Award Recipient – Dorman Dorman is honored for delivering exceptional sales growth with NAPA, generating significant incremental revenue through strong product innovation, inventory support, and close collaboration with NAPA teams to capture new opportunities and serve customers more effectively.
Market Disruptor Award, Carlyle Tools Suppliers (ISS, Great Neck, Clore, Homak, FNA)
Market Disruptor Award Recipient – Carlyle Tools Suppliers ISS, Great Neck, Clore, Homak, and FNA are recognized for their partnership with NAPA in relaunching the Carlyle Tools brand—bringing together product expertise, supply chain strength, and collaboration to create a differentiated professional tool offering that is reshaping expectations in the market.
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By Counterman
Automotive Parts Headquarters Inc. (APH) welcomed more than 500 store owners, managers, sales representatives, supplier partners and support staff to its
link hidden, please login to view, held under the theme “All In!” A highlight of the three-day event was the awards banquet, which celebrated key accomplishments and recognized team members whose leadership and performance helped drive the company’s success in 2025.
“We are incredibly proud to recognize the team members who live the ‘All In’ mindset every single day,” said Corey Bartlett, CEO of APH. “Their dedication to serving customers, supporting one another and strengthening our company is evident in the way they show up and lead by example. They inspire those around them, and having the opportunity to pause and celebrate their achievements together makes the moment especially meaningful.”
Award recipients were selected through a comprehensive review process evaluating overall performance, leadership and contributions to sales, operations and team success across the organization. Members of APH’s leadership team presented the awards.
The evening’s top honor, the 2025 Store Manager of the Year award, was presented to Chelle Desmond of Thorp, Wisconsin. Desmond has been part of the Thorp location since 2019 and has served as store manager since 2023.
“Chelle is a tremendous advocate for her customers and her team,” said Jarvis Ruthven, regional manager for east central Wisconsin. “She approaches every challenge with a solutions-first mindset and a genuine desire to help. Her leadership, perseverance and positive attitude make her incredibly deserving of this recognition.”
In addition to Desmond,
link hidden, please login to view recognized the following individuals for outstanding contributions in 2025:
• Impact Player of the Year: Dustin Kremer, Sioux Falls, SD
• Regional Manager of the Year: Mark Tangen, Northern Minnesota Region
• Outside Sales Representative of the Year: Tabitha Parker, Tomah and Sparta, WI
• Counter Sales Representative of the Year: Ben Blackmon, Minot, ND
• Driver of the Year: Loren Vandervilet, Central City, SD
• Support Person of the Year: Tim Neumann, St. Cloud Store Support Center
• BENCO MVP of the Year: Matt Kubasek, St. Cloud, MN
• Refinish Supply Co. MVP of the Year: Tom Peterson, Sioux Falls, SD APH’s annual conference serves as both a strategic planning session and a collaborative forum, bringing together supplier partners and store teams to align on goals and initiatives for the year ahead. The “All In!” theme underscored the company’s shared commitment to partnership, performance and continued growth across APH’s family of stores.
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