AIA Canada announces changes to its Board of Directors and presents award winners at its online 2021 Annual General Meeting
Ottawa, ON, April 27, 2021 – The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) is pleased to announce the election of three new directors to the 2021-2022 AIA Canada Board of Directors, along with other changes to its Board during the 79th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on April 27th, 2021. For the second year, the AGM was held online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Association announced the election of Bob Jaworski as chairman and presented the 2021 Distinguished Service Award to Mauro Cifelli, president and CEO of Groupe Del Vasto. The Young Professionals in the Aftermarket (YPA) Young Leader of the Year Award was presented to Kathryn Jones of Dorman Products. Lordco Auto Parts Ltd. and the AIA Canada Northern Alberta Division received the AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation Recognition Awards.
Board of Directors
The newly elected members of the board are:
Tony Kuczynski • President and CEO • Mister Transmission (International)
Tony Kuczynski has worked in the Canadian automotive industry since graduating from high school. His career has included executive roles in companies such as Canadian Tire and Carquest Auto Parts. Tony joined Mister Transmission in 2017 where he currently serves as president and CEO. An active member of AIA Canada over the past 15 years, Tony holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and Schulich School of Business and serves as a Program Advisory Committee member for Centennial College.
Read Tony’s full bio here.
Derek Suen • Manager, R&D/New Product Development • Dorman Products
With over 10 years of ideation and product management experience, Derek Suen currently leads the new product development team at Dorman Products. Prior to Dorman, he held positions in supply-chain, accounting, and finance for several multinational corporations. Derek graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an honors degree in economics and holds an MBA from the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. In 2020, Derek was recognized as the recipient of AIA Canada’s YPA Young Leader of the Year Award for his leadership contributions within the industry.
Read Derek’s full bio here.
Craig Jalbert • Canadian Division Leader of the Automotive Aftermarket Division • 3M
Craig Jalbert is the Canadian division leader for the Automotive Aftermarket Division of 3M. In 2004, Craig began at 3M Canada in sales before working his way up to business development manager of key accounts in 2008. In 2016, Craig relocated to 3M Canada headquarters, accepting the role of marketing manager. He was promoted to his current position in 2019; his knowledge and strong track record across various roles has prepared him well for the Automotive Aftermarket Division leader role.
Read Craig’s full bio here.
The new directors will serve until the 2024 AGM.
The Executive Committee will now be as follows:
- Bob Jaworski, president and general manager, Auto Electric Service, was elected to the role of chairman;
- Jason Yurchak, senior vice-president, Worldpac Canada, was elected to first vice-chair;
- Shannon Spano, vice-president of sales, Wakefield Canada, was elected to second vice-chair, and;
- Susan Hitchon, business development manager, Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd., was elected to immediate past chair.
AIA Canada would like to take this opportunity to thank former directors Jason Best and Samantha Coates 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.
You can view the full list of AIA Canada’s Board of Directors, here.
Awards winners
The 2021 AGM was also an opportunity for the Association to recognize outstanding individuals, companies and divisions for their service to AIA Canada, the industry and their community.
AIA Canada Distinguished Service Award
The AIA Canada Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding service and leadership, which contributes to the growth and development of Canada’s automotive aftermarket industry. It is the highest award presented by AIA Canada to an individual member.
AIA Canada is pleased to present the 2021 Distinguished Service Award to Mauro Cifelli.
Mauro Cifelli • President and CEO • Groupe Del Vasto
Mauro Cifelli is the president and CEO of Groupe Del Vasto, a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Mauro joined the organization in 1994 and has held a variety of positions in the areas of information technology, sales, and customer service, and until 2018, served as Groupe Del Vasto’s vice president of sales and marketing. Mauro served as the chairman of AIA Canada at both the provincial and national level.
Read Mauro’s full bio here.
Young Professionals in the Aftermarket (YPA) Young Leader of the Year Award
The YPA Young Leader of the Year Award is presented annually on behalf of the YPA Committee to an outstanding young aftermarket professional for their dedication to the industry, leadership, and innovation.
It is with pleasure to present the 2021 Distinguished Service Award to Kathryn Jones.
Kathryn Jones • Key Account Manager • Dorman Products
Starting at a young age, Kathryn is the fourth generation of her family to work in the Canadian automotive aftermarket. After graduating from Georgian College and Northwood University, she spent three years as an account manager at NOCO Lubricants before leaving to join Tenneco as a district sales manager in 2016. In 2020, she made the move to Dorman Products as key account manager, and took on the role of chairperson of AIA Canada’s Young Professionals in the Aftermarket Committee. This is a role she is dedicated to as it aligns with Kathryn’s passion of promoting the aftermarket industry to future leaders.
Read Kathryn’s full bio here.
AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation Recognition Awards
The AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation Recognition Awards are given out to a member company and AIA Canada Division that demonstrated an exceptional commitment to fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of bringing positive change and improvements to the quality of life for children and youth in their local communities.
The recipients of the recognition awards are:
- Company – Lordco Auto Parts Ltd.
- Division – AIA Canada Northern Alberta Division
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About the Distinguished Service Award
The AIA Canada Distinguished Service Award is presented in recognition of distinguished service and outstanding leadership given to the growth and development of Canada’s automotive aftermarket industry. It is the highest award presented by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada to an outstanding individual within the Association membership. Criteria for the award include outstanding leadership, community service, and personal contribution to the growth and progress of the aftermarket industry.
About the Young Leader of Year Award
The Young Leader of the Year Award is presented annually to an outstanding young employee for his/her dedication to the industry, leadership, and innovation. The Award was created in 2007 by the Young Executive Society (YES) Committee (now known as the Young Professionals in the Aftermarket (YPA) Committee) to provide member organizations with an opportunity to recognize employees that have made an impact on their companies, their communities, and the industry.
About the AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation
The AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation reaches communities directly and offers help where it is needed. Under the championship of the AIA Canada members, the Foundation runs a number of campaigns that provide funding to smaller charities that may otherwise be overlooked. Working towards building local communities, the AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation also wants to give back to the aftermarket industry. Scholarships are awarded annually across Canada to qualified students and monetary assistance is provided to those who wish to further their education in the automotive aftermarket field. For more information on how to get involved, please visit the website, follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
About AIA Canada
The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) is the national trade association that brings together the entire automotive aftermarket supply and service chain. AIA Canada’s mandate is to promote, educate and represent members in areas that impact the growth and prosperity of the industry. To learn more, please visit www.aiacanada.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
AIA Canada Media Contact
AIA Canada Communications
1-800-808-2920 ext 2285