AIA Canada announces changes to its Board of Directors and Executive Committee at its 2023 Annual General Meeting

Ottawa, ON, May 3, 2023 – The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) is pleased to announce the election of four new directors to the 2023-2024 AIA Canada Board of Directors, along with further changes to its Board during the 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on May 3, 2023. The event was held online as part of ongoing efforts by the Association to remove barriers to participation by members from across the country. 

New directors 

The newly elected members of the Board are: 

Jasna Smiljcic, Senior Director and Country Leader, Gates  

Jasna Smiljcic has over 20 years’ experience in the auto care industry. In 2019, she joined Gates as the industrial replacement sales director, Canada. Since then, Jasna was promoted to Canadian country sales director and more recently to senior director and country leader.   

Jason G. Herle, Chief Executive Officer, Fountain Tire  

Jason Herle joined Fountain Tire in 1994, holding a number of positions in Western Canada before being promoted to chief executive officer in 2022. He is currently a board member of Fountain Tire Ltd. and GlassMasters Autoglass and is the past Chair of the Finance Committee for the Western Canadian Tire Dealers Association.  

Michael O’Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Operations, Craftsman Collision  

Michael O’Callaghan has 35 years of automotive industry experience, both on the shop floor and in the head office. Michael is an auto care sector promoter and regularly sits on committees representing the industry. At Craftsman, Michael oversees operations and human resources, with a focus on financial and operational sustainability. 

Micheline Davies, Senior Vice President of Automotive, Canadian Tire  

Micheline Davies leads Canadian Tire’s over $4 billion cornerstone Automotive portfolio, which includes Canadian Tire businesses, as well as the Petroleum and PartSource banners. Micheline spearheaded the Canadian Tire Women’s Leadership Network, and in 2020 was a winner of WXN’s Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women 

You can find the full biographies of the new board members in the 2023 Nominating Committee Report, available for free on the AIA Canada website. 

The new directors will serve on the AIA Canada Board of Directors until the 2026 AGM. 

Changes to the Executive Committee 

The AIA Canada Board of Directors has appointed the following members as the Executive Committee: 

• Shannon Spano, Vice-president of Sales, Wakefield Canada, was elected to chair. 
• Ryan Bruno, President, CSN Collision Centres, was elected to first vice-chair. 
• Tony Kuczynski, President and CEO, Mister Transmission, was elected to second vice chair. 
• Jason Yurchak, Senior Vice-president, Worldpac Canada, was elected to the role of immediate past chair. 

AIA Canada would like to take this opportunity to thank former directors Bob Jaworski and Graham Jeffery for their commitment and service to the Board. 

The remaining AIA Canada Board members and terms that were voted on at the last AGM will remain in place. 

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About the Automotive Industries Association of Canada 

We represent, support and lead innovation in Canada’s $37.8 billion auto care sector. With more than 4,000 members across the country, our vision, research, training programs and advocacy supports Canada’s collision and mechanical sectors. Our best practices for the auto care industry help our members keep Canada’s fleet of almost 26.6 million vehicles on the road. 

Whether you have been in a collision or require maintenance, our members help vehicles last longer, pollute less and keep drivers safer by offering Canadians any product or service a vehicle may need after it rolls off the dealership’s lot. 

For more information please contact: 

AIA Canada Communications 

1-800-808-2920 ext. 2285 

communications@aiacanada.com