AIA Update: Youth Movement Picks Up Speed

Young executives in the Canadian automotive aftermarket are going to have a stronger voice in the affairs of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, and the industry in general, with the formation of a new group within the association.

There is a lot of excitement about the formation of AIA’s newly created Young Executive Society (YES) of Canada, according to chairman Ezer Mevorach, president of Mevotech Inc. He gives the committee, which has grown from 10 to 17 members since its inception, all of the credit for getting it off the ground.

One of the enthusiasts is Brad Morris, vice-chairman of YES Canada and general manager of Grote Industries Inc.

The committee is aiming at getting membership in the society from young aftermarket executives across Canada. (Mevorach is 40 years of age and Morris is 32.) The only restriction is that members must be young executives in middle or upper management, no older than 45 years of age.

Mevorach says that a number of young executives, along with AIA president Ray Datt, chairman Sean Corcelli, and incoming chairman Ken Coulter, agreed that it was important for the association to have more input from the younger members of the association.

“Whoever we spoke to embraced the idea and was willing to get right into it. It has been very well received,” Mevorach explains.

With the motto “Leadership for the Aftermarket of the Future,” the body’s mandate is to provide members with a forum to express their views and recommendations on the current industry to ensure its future growth and prosperity. YES will also provide a networking and mentoring environment for young executives to help them develop into future leaders of the industry.

“Part of our mandate is the continuity of YES, so we can look back 10 years from now and see it still operating. We are recruiting members in their early 30s so that we have that continuity,” says Mevorach.

“The only other goal we have as far as the age category is concerned is that we are hoping to create an alumni base,” adds Morris. “We want to make sure that those who have reached the age of 45 continue to be ongoing resources for YES and that they also remain involved in AIA after they turn 45–that we don’t cut their umbilical cord.”

As a national body, YES hopes to eventually involve AIA divisions and focus at the regional level, but says Mevorach, they’re taking small steps right now.

The YES concept will be promoted at both the AIA’s national convention in P.E.I. and the Red Deer, Alta. regional conference. The YES Committee has also planned a Young Executive Forum on November 18, the day before the Automotive Aftermarket Forum in Toronto.

Morris says this forum will concentrate on focus group-style issues and future issues businesses may encounter. Outside speakers will also be invited. “We are looking to bring in executive-level people in the 30-40 age range from outside the industry, to give us the benefit of some of their experiences.”

Morris says that Mevorach will sit on the AIA board of directors and that other YES committee members will represent the YES committee on each of the other AIA national committees. “We are excited because we believe we have a lot to contribute. We also know that YES and the AIA provide opportunities for us to learn. We really don’t want people to get the idea that we are a bunch of young guys trying to solve the problems of the world. We’re just really passionate about the aftermarket.”