The Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) will present its Executive Briefing during the 2009 AWDA Business & Education Conference, in conjunction with AAPEX, this November in Las Vegas, Nev.

Produced by the University of the Aftermarket for AWDA, the briefing will topic will be "OE Dealer Contraction: Aftermarket Threats and Opportunities." The briefing will take place from 3:45 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Venetian Hotel. Registration is free for AWDA conference registrants and $50 for all other aftermarket professionals.

"The dealership population, long considered the aftermarket's competition from a variety of angles, is experiencing unprecedented contraction," says AWDA chair Rusty Bishop, CEO, Federated Auto Parts Distributors. "This trend will fundamentally change the service, repair and parts distribution landscape, providing great opportunities for aftermarket WDs and the stores they own and serve. In addition, there will also be threats, as dealers redefine their role in the marketplace."

Leading AWDA's Executive Briefing will be Bruce Edwards, former General Motors corporate dealership relations director. He will provide a frank and open discussion from an insider's viewpoint about dealership population trends, operations and outlook. Edwards will outline the threats and opportunities presented by changes in the market that are of interest to aftermarket warehouse distributors, stores and manufacturers.

Seminar attendees will receive 0.2 continuing education units (CEUs) toward their Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) or Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP) certifications from the University of the Aftermarket.

The Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) was founded in 1947 and is the oldest organized group of warehouse distributors and their respective suppliers of parts, accessories tools and other supplies for the automotive aftermarket. AWDA membership consists of more than 200 warehouse distributors and approximately 300 manufacturers, as well as jobbers, affiliates, marketing associations, manufacturer representatives and other companies that support traditional distribution of vehicle parts. The 600-plus members collectively represent many hundreds of facilities and thousands of employees. On Jan. 1, 2004, AWDA joined forces with AAIA.