Who Will Fix the Cars? Find Out at GAAS 2002!

Research Triangle Park, N.C., March 27, 2002 - Who will fix the cars of the future? The one who wins not only wins the heart, minds and purses of the motoring public, but the war for long-term parts and equipment sales success, according to Kathleen Schmatz, a 30-year industry veteran. She will examine this important question with a panel of service industry experts at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) on Friday, May 17, 2002, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont, Ill. 

Schmatz, executive director of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and former vice president and group publisher for Babcox Publications, heads an all-star panel of industry experts discussing the future of automotive service. "This issue has two distinct facets. The first is the paramount issue of encouraging and supporting active, proper vehicle maintenance. The second is which service ’model’ gets the job done - the independent repair shop, the vehicle dealer service operation, the national or regional chain of service shops or something in the middle," Schmatz said. 

"Our panel of experts will address these important questions and mix it up on just who is best qualified to serve the motoring public going forward." Panelists include Lynne Cardwell, president and CEO of Car Care Center, Sacramento, Calif.; Wayne Juchno, managing director of the Service Technicians Society (STS) and publisher of Service Tech magazine; and David Peterson, executive vice president of IT Group Inc. and former vice president of marketing at Mitchell Repair Information Co. GAAS begins at 8 a.m., Thursday, May 16, and concludes at noon on Friday. More information and registration forms are at www.globalsymposium.org. 

GAAS is the automotive aftermarket’s only educational event where all the net proceeds are used to fund scholarships for undergraduate and vocational technical students preparing for industry careers. Details about the GAAS scholarship program are available at www.automotivescholarships.com. The GAAS program is a joint professional education effort of the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA), Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association (APRA), Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), Tire Association of North America (TANA) and University of the Aftermarket.

Media contacts:
Neal Zipser, MEMA
919-406-8811


Margaret Odom, MEMA
919-549-4800, ext. 864
media@mema.org