Toronto, Ontario – At a recent Board of Directors Meeting of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC), longtime Chairman Wally Dingman, owner of Caughill Auto Wreckers in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario announced he would be stepping down as Chairman.
“I have been part of the ARC Board since 2008, and in the Chair position since 2011,” said Wally. “I thought it was time I moved on and let some of the younger Board Members take over.”
In wake of Wally’s departure, the Board has appointed Dalbert Livingstone from Island Auto Supply in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island as chairman.
“Wally and I have been speaking over the past few months about his transition out of the Chair position, and he asked if I was ready to take over,” Dalbert told Canadian Auto Recyclers. “While you never think you are ready to take over guidance of a national industry association, with Wally agreeing to stay on the Board and mentor my transition, it was an honour I could not pass up.”
While youthful in the industry, Dalbert has a long history of service. He purchased Island Auto Supply in 2013 from his grandfather Harvey Livingstone and joined the Board of Directors of the ARC Atlantic affiliate, the Automotive Recyclers Association of Atlantic Canada (ARAAC) in 2012 to begin his education of working within industry associations. This was an especially sweet election, as Harvey Livingstone was one of the founders of the Maritime Auto Wreckers Association in 1972—the precursor to the present day ARAAC.
Dalbert eventually worked his way up to president of that association and now serves as Treasurer. He also spent four years on the Board of Directors of the U.S.-based Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) as the organization’s Canadian representative. He joined the ARC Board in 2017.
“I am incredibly honoured to be the Chair, and I would like to help Canadian auto recyclers with any regulatory changes in their respective provinces, especially with the rapid deployment of high voltage cars coming to market. ARC needs to be at the forefront of training, safety, and proper recycling of these EVs and their batteries. I would also like to help Canadian recyclers with the burden of time and money spend acquiring salvage and work to find ways to ease tension with the auction companies. Most of all I would like to see ARC continue as the driver for positive change in the industry, raising awareness of professional auto recycling in all corners of the country and on the international scene as well.”
Despite stepping down, Wally still plans to be involved with the Board and will continue to provide assistance to the group.
“I definitely still want to be involved in providing whatever guidance I can and assist in the transition to a new Chair,” said Wally. “There are a lot of very interesting and challenging files that ARC has taken on, and we need to make sure those keep rolling along.”
Auto recyclers from across Canada are thrilled to welcome Dalbert to the position and thank Wally for his many years of service.
