Compiled by SEMA Editors
 L–R: Norman Huniu of Capital Wheels & Auto Salvage and Billy Eordekian of 1-800EveryRim – OEM Wheels. | |
1-800EveryRim – OEM Wheels Acquires Capital Wheels & Auto Salvage
An acquisition agreement has been consummated by longtime friends and competitors Norman Huniu of Capital Wheels & Auto Salvage and Billy Eordekian of 1-800EveryRim – OEM Wheels. 1-800EveryRim formally took over the 60-year-old company March 23, 2015.
Centric Parts and AP Exhaust Announce Joint Board Appointments
Centric Parts and AP Exhaust Technologies have announced a joint board agreement between the two companies. Under the agreement, AP’s Executive Chairman Vange Proimos will join the Centric Parts Board of Directors, and Centric President and CEO Dan Lelchuk will join the Board of AP. Proimos and Lelchuk have vast experience in the aftermarket hard parts industry and believe the joint board appointments will bolster the position of both companies in the marketplace and promote opportunities to collaborate to better serve customers.
 James Bayley | |
Continental’s Jerry Gabbard Retires; James Bayley Named New Vice President of Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket in North America
International automotive supplier Continental announced the retirement of Jerry Gabbard as vice president and general manager of the Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket (CVAM) business unit within the company’s interior division—a position he has held since December 2007. James Bayley succeeds Gabbard. In this role, Bayley will be responsible for the organization’s strategic development and overall executive management for its commercial vehicles, specialty vehicles, aftermarket, transportation technologies and original equipment services business segments. Bayley will also oversee the design engineering, customer support and focus factory resources at Continental’s manufacturing facility in Guadalajara, Mexico. As a 10-year veteran of Continental, Bayley has held a variety of assignments within the company, including business development manager and global sales and portfolio manager. His most recent position was director of FIAT Chrysler Customer Center, instrumentation and driver HMI business unit within the company’s interior division.
 Jeff Matauch, PPG Business Development Center manager, offers advice at the restoration seminar. | |
PPG Sponsors Restoration Seminar for Custom Car Builders
PPG Automotive Refinish held an automotive custom restoration seminar at the company’s Wixom, Michigan, Business Development Center, March 9–11. The three-day event, part of a series of PPG custom training classes, provided instruction in PPG processes and products for successfully prepping and painting automotive restoration projects. Event registration drew professional custom builders, hobbyists and vocational technology students from across the country. Several notable custom-car-world celebrities also attended, including Charley Hutton of Charley Hutton's Color Studio, Nampa, Idaho; Randy Borchering of Painthouse, Cypress, Texas; Ryan Korek of Korek Designs, New Berlin, Pennsylvania; and the paint team from Detroit Speed Inc., Mooresville, North Carolina. Instruction over the three days covered surface preparation and undercoats, topcoats and clearcoats. Seminar attendees received copies of PPG’s new Custom Restoration Guide, which presents details of standard operating procedures for custom builders and restorations.
 Michael Grimes | |
TI Automotive Welcomes Michael Grimes as New Aftermarket Sales Manager
TI Automotive has announced the addition of Michael Grimes to its aftermarket team as sales manager. Grimes reports directly to Doug Thomson, director, North American aftermarket. Grimes is responsible for raising the visibility of TI Automotive in the high-performance aftermarket segment. Grimes joins TI Automotive from Cleveland-based Accel Performance Group where he was director of retail sales. Thomson says Grimes brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to TI Automotive from his aftermarket career working for Tenneco Automotive, Dorman Products, and Nissens, A/S where he was general manager for Nissens North America.
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