Motor vehicle aftermarket suppliers have been supporting the mission of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation in record numbers, funding industry scholarships and educational initiatives to help attract and retain talent throughout the aftermarket supply chain.
This year, the University of the Aftermarket Foundation has administered several scholarship programs for aftermarket suppliers, namely Affinia (Mann+Hummel), Bosch, Dayco, Gates, Harvest Partners, Mitchell 1, Multi-Parts Supply and Standard Motor Products.
The 2017 AWDA Challenge will be held in conjunction with the annual Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) meeting in Las Vegas. Participating suppliers sign up in advance to donate $25 to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation for each one-on-one meeting they have during AWDA. Supplier donations are matched by participating distributors. Last year, the AWDA Challenge raised over $83,000, for industry education, a 30 percent increase over the previous year, with 73 suppliers taking part.
“We are grateful to have the active involvement of the supplier community. Their support, and the support of so many in our industry, helped the University of the Aftermarket Foundation award 235 scholarships totaling more than $345,000 this year alone,” said Bill Maggs, MAAP, treasurer of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation and CEO of National Pronto Association. “The University of the Aftermarket Foundation may have been founded 1986, but we’re just getting started.”
To learn about supporting the mission of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation or to sign up to participate in the 2017 AWDA Challenge, visit http://www.uofafoundation.com/donate.html.