People Places & Racing News

Movers & Shakers: Melanie Conran Promoted to Air Lift Marketing Manager; Goodguys Give Away Tribute ’32 Ford Tudor

Melanie Conran Promoted to Consumer Marketing Manager for Air Lift

 Melanie Conran, Air Lift
Melanie Conran
  

Air Lift Co. has promoted Melanie Conran to consumer marketing manager. Conran has been with Air Lift since 2006 in a number of creative, IT and graphic design positions. Prior to joining Air Lift, she was a graphic design and communications specialist for the Michigan Farm Bureau.

In her new position, Conran will be responsible for directing a comprehensive marketing communications program for the company’s load support division. Her duties include creative and content development for digital and print communications, PR management and implementation of strategic marketing initiatives.

Goodguys Give Away Tribute ’32 Ford Tudor

Goodguys, Gary Meadors, Eric Morgan
During a giveaway ceremony at the Goodguys 17th PPG Nationals Columbus, Eric Morgan of San Diego, California, drew the lucky key that started the bright yellow Goodguys Tribute ’32 Ford Tudor.
 
  

Eric Morgan of San Diego traveled to the Goodguys 17th PPG Nationals Columbus with high hopes last weekend. His father, Terry, a retired 67-year-old Goodguys member from Chula Vista, California, sent his son to Columbus to stand in for him during the giveaway ceremony for the Goodguys Tribute ’32 Ford Tudor.

Those high hopes turned into a dream come true when Eric Morgan drew the lucky key that started the bright-yellow ’32 Ford hi-boy style Tudor built in 2012 by Salt Lake City’s Kindig-It Design. The scene was electric with 33 of 34 finalists on hand (all wearing bright-yellow tee shirts) for the ceremony. Morgan was 24th in line to start the car and his key held the magic. When the V8 engine erupted to life, the place went berserk.

The Goodguys Tribute ’32 was built as a modern-day tribute to Goodguys Founder and Chairman Gary Meadors’ original yellow Deuce Tudor (the Goodguys logo car for over three decades). It features an all-steel body (donated by George Poteet) bathed in PPG “Goodguys Yellow,” a GM Performance Ramjet 350 featuring a custom intake from Arizona Speed & Marine, Hughes transmission, quick change rear end from Speedway Engineering, Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners and Billet Specialties “altered” front wheels (18×4.5-in.) and “fuelies” (18x10-in.) out back.

The interior features one-off custom Goodguys-edition gauges from Classic Instruments, Tea’s design “Posies” styled seats and a matching rear seat done in Tea’s light linen ultra-leather. The upholstery and trim work was handled by JS Custom Interior’s in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Trim Parts Acquires The Right Stuff Detailing

the right stuff logo
 
  

Trim Parts Holdings Corp. has acquired The Right Stuff Detailing and all of its assets, adding to Trim Parts’ family of top-tier restoration parts manufacturing companies.

“We like the business model of The Right Stuff because they have an unwavering commitment to high quality and great customer service that is very much aligned with our own business model.” said Mitch Williams, CEO of Trim Parts Holdings Corp. “The company is also very active in the resto-mod trend, where classic cars are being restored and modernized to make them more drivable and more enjoyable,” he continued.

The Right Stuff will continue in its location in Westerville, Ohio, and both customers and consumers should experience a seamless transition to the new ownership. The Right Stuff management team will continue in their current roles.

Betts Co. Launches New Corporate Website

 Betts website
Betts Co. introduced its new corporate website, www.betts1868.com, which serves as the centerpiece of the company’s new branding initiative.
  

Betts Co. introduced its new corporate website, www.betts1868.com. The website serves as the centerpiece of the company’s new branding initiative to help introduce the six-generation, family owned and managed business to customers, prospects and the general public. The Betts Co. home page includes links to the websites for its three operating divisions, Betts Spring Manufacturing, BettsHD and Betts Truck Parts and Service. Visitors to the Betts Co. corporate website can download a copy of a new four-page corporate brochure, watch a company overview video, or sign up to receive the Betts Co. e-newsletter.

Kevin O’Brien, Rishi Raj Bhatnagar, Join Tire Group International

Tire Group International (TGI) announced that the company has hired Kevin O’Brien as vice president of strategic accounts for its domestic division and Rishi Raj Bhatnagar as a territory manager. O’Brien, who was previously vice president of sales for Ameriquest Transportation, has been in the tire industry for more 20 years and has a vast amount of experience in the trucking industry. Bhatnagar, who brings more than 25 years of experience in the retreading industry in the African market to the TGI, will work to continue developing and growing the African market.

Enerpulse Technologies Names Mathew Truster Aftermarket Business Unit Manager

Enerpulse, Mathew Truster
Mathew Truster
 
  

Enerpulse Technologies has added Mathew Truster as the company’s new aftermarket business unit manager. Truster is responsible for leading the sales growth of Pulstar with PlasmaCore, the latest edition of the company’s line of Pulstar spark plugs. Truster will devise and implement the sales strategy, provide support to the company’s distribution channel partners and ensure product data information accuracy.

Truster joins Enerpulse with a diverse background in sales, including 15 years as a senior sales representative for Mantek, a division of NCH Corp.

Axalta Sponsors First State Robotics and Awards Scholarship

Axalta Coating Systems is sponsoring First State Robotics of Delaware and the Miracles of Engineering (MOE) First Tech Challenge team. Axalta awarded a scholarship to robotics team member, Noah Andrews, a recent high school graduate who is looking to start college in the fall as an information technology major, focusing on security. Andrews and some of his robotics team members provided a robotics demonstration at Axalta’s North American headquarters where he was presented with his scholarship.

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