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By Counterman
Automotive Parts Headquarters (APH) recently hosted its annual conference with 500 attendees. Store owners, managers, sales representatives, suppliers and support staff came together.
Held under the theme “Say Yes,” the event spotlighted 2024 accomplishments.
link hidden, please login to view also recognized APH outstanding team members who made significant contributions to the company’s success. Leadership Presented Awards to APH Outstanding Team Members
An awards banquet was a major highlight of the conference. APH leadership personally honored top performers across multiple categories.
CEO Corey Bartlett presented the awards with key leaders. These included Jim Gruber, general manager of BENCO Equipment; Lonnie Kocmick, president of Refinish Supply Co.; Jason Vogel, president of APH Stores; Tim Gardner, vice president of stores, western division; and Rick Lease, vice president of stores, eastern division.
APH’s store operations team and support center staff selected the recipients after thorough evaluations.
CEO Commends ‘Say Yes’ Spirit and Team Dedication
“We are delighted to celebrate our outstanding team members who truly embody the ‘Say Yes’ spirit,” said Bartlett.
“Their exceptional dedication to supporting their teams and customers has been essential to our success in 2024. We are proud to honor them and share in their achievements with our industry partners.”
Store Manager of the Year Among APH Outstanding Team Members
The evening’s top honor went to Matthew Shupick, who earned the 2024 Store Manager of the Year award. He has managed the Eagle Butte, South Dakota, location since 2015.
“Matthew quickly demonstrated his leadership skills, rising to manager in record time,” said Gardner. “He is genuine, down-to-earth and has made a lasting impact on both his team and his community. Driven by a strong sense of duty, Matthew’s commitment to his team’s success and the community that raised him is truly inspiring.”
Additional Award Winners Recognized
In addition to Shupick,
link hidden, please login to viewhonored several other standout contributors: Impact Player of the Year: Doug Thompson, Minot, North Dakota Outside Sales Representative of the Year: Tony Serr, Aberdeen, South Dakota BENCO MVP of the Year: Shane Zahn, Bismarck, North Dakota Refinish Supply Co. MVP of the Year: Tim Christensen, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Counter Sales Representative of the Year: Mike Schenk, New Glarus, Wisconsin Driver of the Year: Don Vanderberg, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Regional Manager of the Year: Derek Goblirsch, Southern Minnesota Support Person of the Year: Kris Stelling, St. Cloud, Minnesota Annual Conference Reinforces Team Spirit and Growth
APH emphasized that the annual conference strengthened the company’s collaborative culture. It showcased both the achievements of APH outstanding team members and the teamwork behind APH’s ongoing growth.
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By Counterman
Since its inception in 2011, the NAPA Partnership Event (formerly known as the NAPA Vendor Summit) has recognized outstanding suppliers through its Supplier Awards Ceremony. NAPA said the event provides an opportunity to honor the exceptional contributions of NAPA’s valued supplier partners—those who champion innovation, quality and excellence in everything they do.
link hidden, please login to viewadded that the Spirit of NAPA award, in particular, has a rich history and is awarded to a trusted supplier that embodies NAPA’s values. This year’s Spirit of NAPA award winner, Dorman, stood out for its dedication to innovation, commitment to quality and lasting impact on the industry. Below is the complete list of winners:
Innovation Award: Milwaukee Tool Quality Award: East Penn Manufacturing Cataloging Award: Old World Industries Sales Award: TERREPOWER Service Award: Weitron Indirect Supplier Award: Pricefx Spirit of NAPA Award: Dorman Partnership Award: Neal Williams The post
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By Counterman
Since the beginning of the year, Schaeffler said it has provided its customers with a CO₂e emissions calculator. The company said all that is required is the input of load and speed data in the online product catalog “Schaeffler medias.”
Schaeffler explained that to achieve its climate targets, companies require transparency regarding the CO₂ emissions created by supplier products. Schaeffler now provides this information for the majority of its rolling bearing product portfolio.
Based on these emission values, customers can make data-based investment decisions, which are in line with their sustainability targets.
link hidden, please login to view said it displays the emissions in so-called carbon dioxide equivalents, abbreviated as CO₂e, as a metric measure used to compare the emissions of various greenhouse gases based on their global-warming potential (GWP). Since the beginning of 2025, the calculator in the digital product catalog “Schaeffler medias” has not just offered the option of calculating the production-related CO₂e emissions at individual bearing level. It also shows the emissions caused by friction losses in the bearing during the utilization phase.
“Our customers can now find out quickly and simply how many CO₂e emissions are produced by the operation of a rolling bearing in their application – and therefore how the selection of a bearing with optimized friction behavior has an impact on the operating costs in quantitative terms,” explained André Schade, sustainability coordinator for product development in R&D at Schaeffler Bearings & Industrial Solutions.
Relevance for all industrial sectors
Because this information can be found directly in the product catalog, customers who are registered with “Schaeffler medias” can select their desired products as usual. They also have the option of defining the planned application based on several load cases. To receive informative values on CO₂e emissions during the use phase, all that is required is the input of load and speed data for the application. This allows for instance a comparison between friction-optimized and standard bearings,
link hidden, please login to view said. High level of detail in “medias EasyCalc”
Schaeffler added that customers can delve deeper into this topic on the platform “
link hidden, please login to view”: The influences of lubrication, operating temperature and oil flow during application can be included in the calculation. The platform also features direct links to Schaeffler’s solutions in the fields of mounting (assembly, fitting) and lubrication, as well as a link to a tool, which shows how the production in many sectors can be made more sustainable using Schaeffler products, the company said.
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By Counterman
In partnership with NAPA,
link hidden, please login to view the Babcox Media brand serving professional independent automotive shop owners, is seeking to recognize and celebrate the vital role of mentorship in the automotive service industry. The ShopOwner Mentorship Award sponsored by NAPA will honor exceptional automotive shop owners, service advisors and technicians who are actively investing in the future of their profession by mentoring the next generation of automotive professionals.
link hidden, please login to view are open now. “The automotive industry faces a significant skills gap,” said Emily Schneider, Senior Director of Marketing at NAPA. “Experienced professionals are critical to guiding and supporting young technicians and students entering the field. This award is our way of recognizing and celebrating those individuals who are making a real difference. We are excited to partner with proponents of industry partnerships – ShopOwner and Tomorrow’s Technician – to encourage ongoing mentorship programs.”
The Mentorship Award celebrates automotive professionals dedicated to mentoring and developing future technicians in-house as well as through partnerships with vocational and technical schools. It is open to automotive shops of all sizes and affiliations in the 50 United States, recognizing mentorship’s vital role in fostering talent and strengthening the industry.
Two nominees will be recognized each month in print, digital and video formats. One nominee will be named the 2025 winner, and will be recognized by NAPA and ShopOwner at a special event to be held later in the year.
“Many shop owners struggle to find good people at any time, let alone during an ongoing labor shortage,” said Doug Kaufman, editorial director of ShopOwner. “Even when they do find an ideal candidate, they don’t have any guarantee of a good fit. Instead of perpetuating a revolving door of transitory ‘jobs,’ we are looking to celebrate a commitment to building careers through training and mentoring.”
For more information about the award and nomination process or to enter, visit
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By Counterman
FleetPride, Inc. announced its annual supplier awards during its recent Supplier Summit at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Resort in Grapevine, Texas. These companies were selected for their outstanding support and partnership with FleetPride over the last year, the company said.
“
link hidden, please login to view values our strategic supplier partnerships. Our annual supplier awards are an opportunity to recognize those who consistently provide exceptional support to us through field work, supply chain, digital or strategic initiatives,” says Michael Keller, FleetPride vice president of category management and strategic sourcing. “Congratulations to all of our award winners. We greatly appreciate your partnership.”
link hidden, please login to view named Dana Spicer Inc. as its Supplier of the Year, noting the company’s excellence in communication, partnership, innovation, training and growth. This included fielding thousands of customer calls via a real-time call center; driving product innovation while supporting program enhancements, special initiatives and marketing opportunities; and supporting FleetPride’s digital efforts using scorecard reporting to drive continuous improvement. “Dana Spicer excelled in all areas of partnership,” Keller says. “Their efforts were consistent through their support of our programs, marketing opportunities, field work, and other initiatives such as data management, and they committed to building strong working relationships. FleetPride values their partnership and we are pleased to name them as our supplier of the year.”
“We are honored to receive the supplier of the year award, recognizing our dedication to our strategic partnership with FleetPride,” says Bill Nunnery, senior director, aftermarket sales and marketing for Dana Spicer. “This award underscores our commitment to our customers, product innovation, superior marketing, and progressive digital solutions. It’s a testament to the hard work of our entire team. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration and delivering outstanding results together.”
FleetPride awarded several other suppliers for consistently driving communication, partnership, innovation, training and growth throughout the year:
Atmus Filtration: Focused on collaboration, strategic alignment and program management to deliver strong sales growth. Consistently aligned with FleetPride objectives by focusing on increased brand awareness and customer engagement. Conducted business reviews and provided field support, product expertise, training, hands-on assistance and marketing support. Baldwin: Delivered exceptional customer support as FleetPride’s most front-facing supplier in 2024. Worked closely with the Supply Chain team to ensure consistent shipping performance, and with our marketing team to create a strong digital program. Bendix: Provided valuable guidance related to product assortment and effective stocking strategies. Increased field engagement and created customer-specific training sessions with consistent focus on continuous improvement. Continental Battery: Focused on communication across the FleetPride organization to create value-add programs and drive high levels of internal and external customer satisfaction. DA Lubricants: Supported FleetPride’s sales team by creating and filming training videos while working closely with the supply chain team to ensure consistent and reliable on-time delivery and high in-stock rates. Dayton: Focused on mutual growth and building product assortment while supporting initiatives tied to providing data, supporting FleetPride’s digital platforms, and expanding various product categories. Grote: Launched innovative technology in the warning and visibility spaces, making roadways safer. Ensured FleetPride branches were equipped with new product displays by supporting restock efforts. Helped capture new business with ride-along opportunities. MAT: Supported FleetPride in reducing manual processes at the branch level to improve productivity. Managed a nationwide, dedicated training program, which supported customer-facing certifications and showed commitment to successful partnerships with sales teams. Focused on effective communication at every level of the organization. Muncie: Prioritized continuous improvement by identifying and overcoming challenges to ensure evolving supply chain and manufacturing processes. Supported our front lines by making numerous branch visits, conducting training and fieldwork, and fielding thousands of calls regarding sales opportunities, application requirements and technical support. Odyssey: Created new programs to gain incremental volume. Built strong partnerships at the strategic account and customer levels. Proactive approach with large customers produced unique, tailored solutions that underscore commitment to innovation and customer success. Ranger Brake: Actively collaborated with the field sales teams to meet special program and customer needs. With a “win-win” mindset, consistently proved their ability to keep pace with FleetPride’s sales growth, maintaining overall service levels, on-time delivery rates and first-fill rates. Stoughton Parts: Executed an assortment strategy that added thousands of products specifically for strategic accounts. They also focused on building relationships throughout FleetPride, helping drive year-over-year incremental growth.
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