The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) is gearing up to select its second annual “Head of the Class Award” winners, to honor up to seven aftermarket companies that continually invest in employee education and training. The award was created in 2011 and will be administered by the AAIA Education Committee on behalf of the association. 



“This is a chance to take pride in the commitment to continuous learning,” said Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO. “We are delighted to once again have the opportunity to distinguish companies who set themselves up for advancement and growth by encouraging their employees to participate in available education and training opportunities. This benefits not only the businesses themselves, but also the entire aftermarket industry.”



One “Head of the Class Award” will be presented to an AAIA member company in each industry category, including manufacturer, warehouse distributor, independent jobber/parts store, retailer, national service chain, independent service and repair shop and manufacturers’ representative. Applicants must include information directly related to the education and training practices of the company, including what prompted the company to invest in training, the types of training accomplished, the initial goals, their experiences, results of the training and any future plans.



Applications are due by Tuesday, July 31, and winning companies will be notified in September. Winners will be selected by the AAIA Education Committee, and then recognized during AAPEX 2012 in Las Vegas, NV.



Application forms and full submission requirements are available at http://www.aftermarket.org/headoftheclass. Fax or e-mail the nomination form and supplementary documents to Sue Kalish, senior director, education, AAIA, at 301-654-3299 or [email protected]. For more information, call 301-654-6664.