Toronto, Ontario — Paul McCarthy, president, and COO for Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) has been awarded the 2020 Outstanding Leadership Award in honor of Jack Creamer by the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWAD).
The award is considered as the automotive aftermarkets’ highest honor, and was presented on Mon., Nov. 16, 2020, during a virtual ceremony. AASA is the automotive aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).
“I am humbled to have been selected to receive the Outstanding Leadership Award and thank AWDA for this incredible honor,” McCarthy said.
“This year has been unprecedented in ways new to all of us. I know this award was given to represent something larger than me. This is about us working together for the future of our industry. I am proud and pleased to receive this award with my good friend, Bill Hanvey. Bill and I are representatives of an industry that continues to show resiliency, an innovative spirit, and a commitment to hard work and concern for our customers, employees, and each other. I am honored both by AWDA’s recognition and to be able to serve our industry.”
The leadership award is presented annually to professionals who exhibit outstanding leadership in advancing the aftermarket. This year’s award was also presented to Bill Hanvey, president, and CEO of the Auto Care Association.
AASA and Auto Care have had a long history of partnership and this year they demonstrated unmatched collaboration. Working as partners, both companies worked to lead the aftermarket through the COVID crisis.
Both men started by making sure policymakers and others recognized that the automotive aftermarket is an essential industry; additionally, they focused on ensuring the future for the aftermarket, by securing access to appropriate vehicle data and retaining consumer choice.
Both Massachusetts ‘Right to Repair’ and the upcoming ‘Repair Bill,’ will be put in front of congress, is indicative of McCarthy and Hanvey’s leadership.
“I am extremely proud of Paul and Bill for their leadership and what they can accomplish through continued cooperation and collaboration,” said MEMA President and CEO Bill Long.
“The automotive aftermarket is a significant contributor to the entire vehicle supplier industry, and the work Paul and Bill have done to advance the interests of the aftermarket has been significant and meaningful. I applaud Paul, who serves as one of the aftermarket industry’s top thought-leaders and strategists, for his ability to provide a path forward for vehicle parts manufacturers. His hard work and dedication show every day, and we congratulate him for this award.”
The annual leadership award is in honor of Jack Creamer, who is the former president of AWDA.
Creamer, who received this award in 2000 started his aftermarket career in 1963 as a salesman for Wheels Inc., an automotive and marine parts distributor. Eventually, he worked his way up to company president and became responsible for the development and executive of an extensive industry education program.
In 1995, Creamer was announced as president of AWDA and to this day, he continues to be regarded as an icon in the aftermarket industry.
