AMN Drivetime

This episode of DriveTime features Anan Bishara, founder & CEO, Premium Guard, Inc. Following Premium Guard's acquisition of key intellectual property and related assets from First Brands Group, Bishara said the company's strategy for revitalizing legacy brands—including Autolite, FRAM, TRICO, ANCO, LuberFiner and StrongArm—was built around three priorities: people, intellectual property and p...

In this episode of DriveTime, Tom Pitstick, president, Americas, Gates Corporation talks about the company’s “Driven by Possibility” motto that influences not only his leadership approach and strategic direction with the aftermarket, but also how his teams are driven to support customers from the shop level all the way up to its big distribution partners.

In this episode of DriveTime, Mike DeWitt, president and managing director, FORVIA HELLA, explains that the combination of HELLA with Faurecia under the FORVIA umbrella represents a strategic evolution that brings together two highly regarded Tier 1 suppliers with complementary strengths in innovation, engineering and quality.

D-A Lubricant’s John Noal discusses synthetic shortages, rising costs and how supply chain issues are impacting service and inventory decisions.

In this episode of DriveTime, Emily Poladian, president of MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, talks about her admiration for the aftermarket after a successful 27-year career at Bridgestone where she led two different business units. Despite its size and influence, she says the industry maintains a close-knit, relationship-driven culture that makes her feel right at home. On Right-to-Repair legislation,...

In this episode of DriveTime , Ron Aparicio, vice president of sales, Motorcar Parts of America (MPA) discusses how the company is reinforcing its position in the aftermarket by focusing on relationship-driven sales, customer alignment and product quality rooted in both new and remanufactured offerings. He said success in today’s environment depends on “honoring the sales cycle,” meaning respectin...

In this episode of DriveTime, Tom Mohrdieck, president and CEO, NTN Bearing Corporation of America, discusses how the company is leveraging the OEM pedigree it built over 108 years in OEM and industrial markets, according to Tom Mohrdieck. He said the company has spent the last decade investing in aftermarket growth, with a global goal of generating 40% of turnover from the aftermarket by 2035.

In this episode of DriveTime, Rick Schwartz, Co-Founder and CEO, Schwartz Advisors, talks about Schwartz Advisors’ new VIO forecast report, the SA Mobility Aftermarket Report, is designed to give the industry a clearer picture of where the vehicle fleet is headed by analyzing the VIO by powertrain rather than relying only on total vehicle count. Schwartz said simply citing a U.S. parc nearing 290...

In this episode of DriveTime, Robert Roos, president and CEO of the Pronto Network, as well as president of NEXUS North America, and Thierry Mugnier, the co-founder and chief finance and innovation officer at Nexus Automotive International, discuss the Nexus Business Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the growing importance of global collaboration across the automotive aftermarket. The event brou...

Advance Auto Parts President & CEO Shane O'Kelly on Saying 'Yes' to Customers In this episode of DriveTime, Shane O’Kelly, president and CEO of Advance Auto Parts, discusses how the company's blended box strategy remains central to the company’s direction, serving both professional installers and DIY customers. He said the model is built around three pillars: right parts, right place and right...

Sen. Bernie Moreno, a native of Colombia, and former owner of 15 Mercedes-Benz dealerships, shared his thoughts on the importance of Right to Repair legislation to the automotive aftermarket and how the REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566) could gain more traction. He believes progress will depend on broad agreement across the entire industry and stressed that any policy must prioritize vehicle safety and ensur...

In this episode of DriveTime, Tanya Hunt, YANG Chair and Commercial Project Manager, TERREPOWER, discussed the features and benefits of Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) membership. She highlighted how YANG continues to expand networking and professional development opportunities for emerging leaders in the automotive aftermarket.

In this episode of  DriveTime , John Kairys, executive director, Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation, talks about the AACF’s origin, reach and significance in the automotive aftermarket. Kairys emphasizes that while the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) has evolved significantly since its founding in 1959, its mission remains unchanged: helping industry members facing fi...

In this episode of DriveTime, Jeff Blocher, Director of Sales, Traditional Aftermarket, MANN+HUMMEL Filtration, talked about MANN+HUMMEL’s brand lineup (MANN, WIX and Purolator) and the unique brand strengths that differentiate the company’s products in the competitive automotive filtration category. Blocher also discussed how the company prioritizes education in the field to ensure customers choo...

In this episode of DriveTime, Joseph Saoud, VP and GM of US, Canada at DRiV discussed the principles he believes are most essential to driving growth and delivering exceptional service for DRiV customers. It starts with a great team — and how you lead them, how you set the right expectations, how you put the right people in the right role and how you track performance, Saoud explained.

Morgan Stanley Managing Director Simeon Gutman breaks down the real forces shaping today’s automotive aftermarket—from tariff uncertainty and pricing pressure to shifting consumer behavior and the accelerating “big getting bigger” trend. Gutman explains the stark divide between large public companies with sophisticated analytics and smaller private businesses still wrestling with inventory movemen...

Mike Spagnola is passionate about ensuring that SEMA gives back to the community by helping bring the next generation of students successfully into the industry. One way is through the SEMA scholarship program that it gives out hundreds of thousands of dollars to students every single year, Spagnola said. “We offer a scholarship program for students. I’m really passionate about that. My ability to...

In this episode of DriveTime, Dave Johnson, president and CEO, ASE discusses how ASE is adapting its certification programs to keep pace with technological advancements in vehicle systems. ASE will be restructuring its certifications to better align with where the industry’s going, particularly in the electric vehicle (EV) and ADAS categories.

In this episode of DriveTime, Chip Hanson, Chairman and CEO of J-B Weld Company, discusses the wide appeal of the company’s line of J-B Weld adhesives. Hanson explains how the company is preparing to launch a new adhesives for professionals to meet growing demand and expand beyond the DIY market.

In this episode of DriveTime , Stefan Feder discusses Continental Automotive’s new independent company, now called AUMOVIO. He leads the Automotive Aftermarket, North America, for Continental. Feder explains what the AUMOVIO Continental Spinoff means for the company’s brands and the customers it serves. He believes the automotive industry is undergoing a huge transformation. “There are a lot of bi...

In this episode of DriveTime, Cassie Bell, chief people officer at NAPA, discusses the automotive technician shortage. She explains how big of a gap she predicts over the next few years. Looking ahead to 2027, Bell said the industry lacks about 800,000 techs. “So, if you want perspective that’s about the size of Atlanta and if we think about the population there,” Bell said.

In this episode of DriveTime, Matt Crumpton discusses his work with 18,000+ NAPA Auto Care centers across the U.S. He serves as director of auto care programs at NAPA Auto Parts. He highlights the most urgent training needs, including ADAS Training for Technicians, and extended reality tools for emerging aftermarket technologies. Crumpton pointed to ADAS as one of the most exciting emerging techno...

In this episode of DriveTime, Emily Schneider, senior director of marketing at NAPA Auto Parts, discusses the NAPA Know How Campaign. She also talks about the company's emphasis on B2B customers and its 100th anniversary celebrations this year. NAPA defines the professional technician as its core customer—the person who throws away the NAPA box every day. This focus on B2B customers sparked a stra...

In this episode of DriveTime, Chris Williams shares insights on the value of Automotive Aftermarket Brands and their importance in today’s industry. He is the President and CEO of NA Williams, a 4th-generation, family-owned business. Williams explains what companies must do to stay relevant, engaging and profitable in the current landscape. According to Williams, companies must adapt and focus on...

In this episode of DriveTime, Danny Huffaker discusses the Carlyle Tools Reimagined campaign and the brand’s bold new direction. He is the SVP of Product & Marketing at NAPA Auto Parts. He talks about how the Carlyle Tool brand is being “reimagined.” “The Carlyle Tool program has been around for a while, but we realized that it was time to really innovate and disrupt the market with this, for...