By SEMA News Editors
AAAA Forms Inaugural Board of Directors
The African American Automotive Association (AAAA) has formed its inaugural board of directors to lead the organization.
Christopher Harris, founder of the organization and seasoned executive with more than a decade of experience in the motorsports industry, will lead the board.
Joining Harris on the board are Kellie Crawford, Pamela Brown-Matthis, Kyle Mayers, Jeremey Miller, Dystany Spurlock and Larnelle Haynes.
The AAAA board will be committed to making the automotive industry more diverse and inclusive, according to the organization, and its mission is to build the foundations that foster diversity and change the makeup of decision-makers, allowing new ideas to grow within the automotive world. By transforming the industry's leadership to be truly representative of all people, AAAA aims to drive innovation and create a dynamic future for the automotive sector, the organization said in a statement announcing the inaugural board of directors.
For more information on the board and its first members, visit aaaassoc.com.
Turn 14 Distribution Announces Leadership Team Promotions
Turn 14 Distribution has announced several promotions in its leadership team.
Mike Hall, a 14-year veteran of the company, has been named the Horsham, Pennsylvania-based parts distributor's vice president of operations. He most recently served as director of operations and helped create new efficiencies in warehouse operations, the company said. With his promotion to vice president of operations, Hall will expand his oversight to include distribution optimization and transportation.
Mike Malloy has been promoted to vice president of purchasing. Malloy is approaching his 10-year anniversary at Turn 14 Distribution and recently managed a distribution arrangement resulting from the dismantling of Transamerican Wholesale and oversaw the negotiation and onboarding of over 100 vendor relationships through the Tucker acquisition.
Sabrina Usonis was also named the vice president of finance. Usonis has made a swift impact during her first year at Turn 14 Distribution, playing a key role in the Tucker acquisition and rising financial reporting expectations, according to the company.
For more information, visit turn14.com.
Stellantis Opens New Mopar Parts Distribution Center in Ontario
Stellantis North America recently commemorated the opening of a new Mopar Parts Distribution Center in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The $18.2-million, 513,000-sq.-ft. facility will employ more than 170 Canadian workers and support Stellantis dealerships and customers in Ontario, Quebec and Eastern Canada. It will house close to 55,000 parts and has the capacity to ship up to an estimated 2 million orders annually.
The new Mopar PDC in Brampton is the first Stellantis facility in North America to use the AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system. The AutoStore system in Brampton uses 27 robots equipped with advanced picking functions to navigate tracks built above a 16-foot-tall grid stocked with parts. The robots retrieve various parts from one of 43,000 bins stacked within 11,700 square feet of storage space. The robots transport the chosen parts directly to various production stations where PDC employees pack and process the final shipments.
For more information, visit stellantis.com.
Adriana Cisneros Elected to Ford Board of Directors
The Ford Motor Company board has elected Adriana Cisneros as a director, effective immediately. Her addition expands the board to 15 directors.
Cisneros was appointed CEO of Cisneros Group in 2013. Founded in 1929 in Venezuela as a material transport business, Cisneros Group has grown and diversified significantly over the past 95 years. Adriana Cisneros assumed leadership from her father, Gustavo Cisneros, and under her guidance the company has become a global leader in digital advertising, media and entertainment and real estate, Ford said.
Cisneros will serve on the Ford board's Nominating and Governance and Sustainability, Innovation and Policy committees.
For more information, visit ford.com.
Meyer Distributing Announces Winner of Mustang Giveaway
Meyer Distributing has announced that Midwest Aftermarket, a retailer for aftermarket auto parts in Litchfield, Illinois, has won its Mustang Giveaway.
Sponsored by Holley, Air Lift and Mickey Thompson, the '23 Mustang GT Premium in Grabber Blue is outfitted with a 6-speed manual transmission with Hurst shifter, Recaro seats, 9-in. Brembo brakes with painted-to-match calipers, active exhaust with Flowmaster Outlaw catback, Carroll Shelby wheels, Mickey Thompson Street Comp tires, raised wing rear spoiler and full Air Lift Performance suspension with 3P and dual compressor setup.
"My relationship with the Cooper brothers has grown tremendously," said Zach Wood, sales manager at Meyer Distributing. "They are hardworking, good people with a strong vison in sight. They are more-than-deserving winners of the Mustang Giveaway."
"The car is way above expectations. I loved to get to meet Austin to hear about all the different aspects of the vehicle and appreciate his willingness to take time out of his day to deliver," said Zac Cooper, owner of Midwest Aftermarket. "My relationship with Meyer and Zach is amazing. I would have never expected a company the size of Meyer to be such a personal partner and go above and beyond every day to make sure my account is a priority. Relationships in business have become a thing of the past with most companies, but not with Meyer Distributing."
For more information, visit meyerdistributing.com.
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