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February 7, 2019 - The Michigan Automotive Parts Association is pleased to announce the selection of Gary Deuling, Owner and President of Hart Automotive Supply located in Hart, Michigan as recipient of its 2019 MAPA Lifetime Achievement Award. Created in 2010, the MAPA Lifetime Achievement Award is designed to honor the excellence of individuals in the automotive aftermarket industry who have made significant impacts in the industry and/or the association. The recipient must have/had an extensive career in the industry, contributed significantly to the automotive aftermarket industry in Michigan, and made accomplishments within his or her local community. Gary Deuling has exemplified a Lifetime commitment to the Automotive Aftermarket over the past 46 Years. Gary’s passion to stay involved and to give back to the Industry is unmatched. Gary invests most of his time supporting the success of the Independently Owned Automotive Parts Store Owner, Parts Manufactures and Warehouse Distributor, and he is proudly supported by Michigan Automotive Parts Association. Gary started in the automotive business in 1973 as an Outside Salesperson for a 2 store NAPA Auto Parts owner. Gary was quickly promoted as a Store Manager in Fremont MI and advanced to Operation Manager for a 5 store NAPA Independent group in 1987. Gary became a business partner and owner and would assume full ownership of 2 stores located in Hart and Shelby, Michigan in 1993. Gary has been an active Auto Parts store owner and has been recognized from NAPA (National Automotive Association) awarded the Five Star Excellence for 6 years. The NAPA Five Star Award is excellence in Training, Marketing, Wholesale & Retail Growth and Community involvement. Gary has always been an industry leader and was one of the first parts stores to offer delivery service to wholesale accounts and opening 7 days a week to support his local market needs. Gary’s commitment to “Giving Back” and involvement in both his community and the Aftermarket is extensive and includes; NAPA Business Advisory Boards in Heavy Duty, Advertising, Tools & Equipment, NAPA Auto Parts Independent Owner for 32 Years, Proudly Elected in 1995 to the MAPA Board of Directors, 21 Years Served on MAPA Board, Elected first board member to have served as Chairman for 2 terms, Newly Elected First Time Honorary Lifetime Board of Directors member, and Gary has made many visits to the Lansing State Capitol to advocate to the legislative regulators of the aftermarket. Gary admits he has been diagnosed with “Terminal Raised Hand Disease”. He will not say NO! Gary has always cared beyond himself first. A genuine person that believes in God, family and Community first. Gary’s commitment to community includes; Fremont Chamber of Commerce Board, Co-Chair Fremont Old Fashion Days, Co-Chair Grant Summer Celebration, Chair First Street Car Show, Fremont Downtown Retailers Group, Shelby Chamber of Commerce, Advisory Board of the Automotive Newaygo County Career Tech Center, Newaygo County Compassion Home Fund Raiser, Trustee & Moderator of the First Congregational Church (just to name a few). The MAPA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Gary Deuling during MAPA Industry Day 2019 being held on Wednesday, September 11th at the Holiday Day Inn Gateway Centre in Flint, Michigan. Presenter of the award will be John Sedlecky, General Manager of NAPA Distribution Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
October 4, 2018 - The Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) board of directors during their recent board meeting held September 18th in Flint, Michigan unaninously voted to create an Honorary Lifetime Director position to its' board makeup. The Honorary Lifetime Director board position was created as a way for MAPA to honor and give back to board members for their dedication and service to the association. The inaugural position will be filled by Gary Deuling, President of Hart Automotive Supply in Hart, Michigan to honor Gary's service, dedication, loyalty, passion, and knowledge. "Through Gary's distinguished service, he has proven to be an invaluable asset not only to the Michigan Automotive Parts Association, but also to its members through his undeniable passion, years of involvement in the automotive aftermarket, dedication to this organization, and knowledge of MAPA's history. Gary has served as a board member in some capacity loyally and unselfishly for 21 out of the past 24 years, and he is most deserving to fill this inaugural seat," MAPA Executive Director Debbie Cook said. Gary Deuling currently serves on MAPA's board as its Immediate Past Chairman through December 31, 2018. Gary's new Honorary Lifetime Director board position is effective January 1, 2019.
MAPA News June 13, 3018
Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) is pleased to announce the 2018-2019 Leadership 2.0 Program Scholarship through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation at Northwood University has been awarded to Michael Hellenberg of Auto-Wares Group of Companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “In the beginning, I never thought of a career in the Automotive Aftermarket. It all started out as I dropped out of college for a full time job. The job was a delivery driver for an Automotive Aftermarket distributor. As time moved forward, the competition grew tough as my father was my direct competitor. Eventually, we joined the same team and worked together to grow. When I quit college at the age of 19, continuing education was not for me. What I didn’t realize was there was a continuing education program in the work field that I was employed in. I realized that the Automotive Aftermarket was my home after I learned about the adult degree program at Northwood University. The program has allowed me to spread my wings and learn as much as the program would allow. I have met many Aftermarket professionals during my time at Northwood and it has allowed me to learn about the different channels of the Aftermarket. I graduated from Northwood University with a BBA in the Automotive Aftermarket in December 2017. Within the future of the Aftermarket, the overall landscape is changing. Technology is being more abundant within the warehouses, local jobber stores and professional installer garages. Telematics is an ever growing market that allows vehicles to be connected to everyone. My goal within the Aftermarket is to bring new ideas and programs to my current organization as well as learn from the professionals around me. Each customer is different and requires different needs. These needs are changing with the landscape of the Aftermarket. The days of paper and pencil seem to be diminishing as individuals are working their way to paperless billing and text message/e-mail alerts from tablets in their technicians’ hands. This will allow for me to broaden my education and eventually be part of a leadership team or senior level executive at a major organization within the Aftermarket. There are different challenges each day and there isn’t one day that is the same as the next. The Automotive Aftermarket has provided many opportunities for my family. I enjoy being a part of the Aftermarket and I look forward to the future and what challenges it may bring. I cannot start to explain to you how exciting this news is for me. Leadership 2.0 has been a goal/dream of mine for the last 5 years. Thank you for this opportunity!” - Michael Hellenberg. Brian Cruickshank, Director of the University of the Aftermarket at Northwood University, provided ASAAA members with an opportunity to apply for one full $6,250 scholarship from the University of the Aftermarket Foundation which includes tuition, materials, and meals for the highly-acclaimed 2018-2019 2-week Leadership 2.0 Program. Leadership 2.0 is conducted in 2 one-week sessions at Northwood University; Fall 2018 (August 12-17), Midland, MI and Spring 2019 (March 10-15), Raleigh, NC. This scholarship is an exclusive offer to members of the Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) through its affiliation with the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA). Scholarship recipients are selected by ASAAA’s Scholarship Committee from applications submitted by member state associations.
03/13/18 - The Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) has announced the selection of Fred Bunting, Chairman of Auto-Wares Group of Companies located in Grand Rapids, Michigan as recipient of its 2018 MAPA Lifetime Achievement Award. Created in 2010, the MAPA Lifetime Achievement Award is designed to honor the excellence of individuals in the automotive aftermarket industry who have made significant impacts in the industry and/or the association. Qualifying criteria for consideration includes recipient must have/had an extensive career in the industry, contributed significantly to the automotive aftermarket industry in Michigan, and made accomplishments within their local community. Lifetime Love. Fred Bunting is a 3rd generation auto parts person and some say he came out of a muffler box. He started working in the family automotive aftermarket business at age 14. He had every job in the family warehouse: as a sweeper, stock boy, unload and load trucks, hi-lo driver, order picker, parts counter, buyer, order taker, truck driver, and salesman. The family business was sold in 1967 while he was in College. In 1976 he started his own aftermarket company Auto-Wares Group of Companies headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He started, built, and today owns 14 major automotive aftermarket companies and 180+ retail/wholesale auto parts stores in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. Auto-Wares services daily 500+ auto parts stores. Auto-Wares has 300+ Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper stores, 700+ Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Centers. Auto-Wares employs 2,100+ top notch service oriented professional people and over the years created jobs for 10,000+ people who have worked for Auto-Wares. Fred has put an over whelming effort into training, sponsoring Tech Expos training for 20 years has resulted in filling 50,000 tech training seats. Organizing local regional training events in 5 states has resulted in 6,000+ more training seats filled. He has won national award Head of the Class for training his own employees. Fred's other awards include: Northwood Automotive Aftermarket Education, Auto Value Man of the Year, Art Fisher Scholarship (technician training), Mort Schwartz Excellence in Education, MAAP (Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional), Jack Creamer AWDA Automotive Aftermarket Leader of the Year 2016. He is also involved and supports multiple charities to help others in our community and world. He has been in Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper national program group for 40 years, and has been on their board of directors for 34 years. He has served on the AWDA board of Governors and a member of AWDA for 40+ years. He has been a proud member of his state jobber association MAPA for 40+ years. Fred has always made independent jobbers success his primary focus. He has helped many independent jobbers get into, stay, and get out of this great business. His personal philosophy has been to treat customers, employees, and vendors all like friends. Stay aggressive and build for the long term. He has always enjoyed a strong personal relationship with his customers and employees. He spends a lot of time each year visiting and meeting with jobbers and technicians. He has always believed it happens on the streets and it is very important to stay street smart! Fred has a total passion for the automotive aftermarket business! The MAPA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Fred Bunting during MAPA Industry Day 2018 being held on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at the Holiday Inn Gateway Centre in Flint, Michigan.
MAPA News July 5, 2017
Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) is pleased to announce the 2017-2018 Leadership 2.0 Program Scholarship through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation at Northwood University, valued at $6,250 has been awarded to Brady Tervo of Auto Value of Houghton located in Houghton, Michigan.
"The automotive aftermarket is an exciting and volatile industry, full of complexities and intricacies, and brimming with potential. This industry can be characterized as one that is constantly changing with intense competition, and is dominated by a handful of large and ostentatious corporate giants. It can be exceedingly difficult for a small independently owned business to successfully compete in an industry of this nature. That being said, with the elimination of operational incongruities and misalignments, just the right amount of creative abrasion and an enhanced concentration on the optimization of core competencies, a small independent parts store has the ability to maintain and expand their customer base, profits, and success in these increasingly competitive times.
I have grown up in the automotive aftermarket. Some of my earliest memories involve watching my father flip through a stack of incessantly thick catalogues searching for a part or tool, behind the counter of his independently owned auto parts stores. I began delivering auto parts and machining rotors the summer after I received my license. After graduating from high school, I worked close to full-time at Auto Value while I pursused a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Michigan Tech University. After completion of that degree, I took on the role of outside saleman, and am currently finishing up the last class I need to fulfill the MBA requirements. There is something about this industry that has drawn me in and continues to intrigue me. My aspirations for the future involve continuing a career in the automotive aftermarket and hopefully owning my own group of stores in the future" - Brady Tervo.
Brian Cruickshank, Director of the University of the Aftermarket at Northwood University, provided ASAAA members with the opportunity to apply for one full $6,250 scholarship from the University of the Aftermarket Foundation which includes tuition, materials, and meals for the highly-acclaimed 2017-2018 2-week Leadership 2.0 Program. Leadership 2.0 is conducted in 2 one-week sessions at Northwood University; Session I: August 6-11, 2017 in Midland, Michigan, Session II: March 11-16, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This scholarship is an exclusive offer to members of the Michigan Automotive Parts Association (MAPA) through its affiliation with the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA). Scholarship recipients are selected by ASAAA's scholarship committee from applications submitted by member state associations. For more information and complete details about the 2017-2018 Leadership 2.0 Program, visit: www.universityoftheaftermarket.com and click on Leadership 2.0.
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