The always thought-provoking John Washbish, president and CEO of Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc., returns to the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) Vision Conference on Thursday, March 14, to discuss the different viewpoints of aftermarket suppliers and resellers in his presentation, “Suppliers Are from Mars, Resellers Are from Venus.”

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Based on the popular book, “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus” by author and relationship counselor John Gray, Washbish will examine the different approaches suppliers and resellers bring to issues at the annual AASA member gathering at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont, Ill. 

The opening segment of the AASA Vision Conference, “The Role of the Essential Supplier,” is focused on channel partner viewpoints. In addition to Washbish, three leading service professionals will share with the audience of top automotive aftermarket suppliers how parts manufacturers can influence the repair process and what “value added services” they truly value.

The other AASA Vision Conference presentations, all focused on the theme, “Essentials for Creating Supplier Value,” will include:

•  “Recapturing and Creating Brand Relevance”
• “The Evolving Distribution Model”
• “E-tailing: Supplier Success Strategies for the Fastest Growing Segment of the Aftermarket”
• “Creating an Irreplaceable Relationship with Customers using Category Management”
• Joint Business Planning with Customers: Proven Ways to Make More Money
• Election, Washington and the Aftermarket
• Mergers and Acquisitions: The Aftermarket Is Ripe for Consolidation
• Challenges for U.S. Economic Growth: Cliff, Recovery or BOOM?

The AASA Vision Conference is a member-only, content-rich networking event that is an essential part of member companies’ strategic planning processes. The Vision Conference speakers and presentations will provide attendees clarity into those elements which create supplier value. Full details on the Conference are available at www.aasavision.org.

The Vision Conference is made possible through the generous support of Premier Sponsor Ernst & Young. Polk is the sponsor of the Networking Luncheon and Pricedex Software is the Networking Reception sponsor. Elite Vision Conference sponsors are Advanstar, Dunavant, Epicor, Experian Automotive, eXperticity, The Greensheet / Automotive Week, Infor, OptiCat and YRC; and The Marx Group and Insights 2 Action are the coffee break sponsors.

About AASA

AASA (www.aftermarketsuppliers.org) exclusively serves manufacturers of aftermarket components, tools and equipment, and related products. It is a recognized industry change agent – promoting a collaborative industry environment, providing a forum to address issues and serving as a valued resource for members. AASA is an affiliate of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). “AASA, The Voice for the Automotive Aftermarket Supplier Industry”

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