AIA President Ray Datt Receives Prestigious Education Award

Automotive Industries Association of Canada president Ray Datt received the prestigious Northwood University Automotive Aftermarket Education Award for 2002 at an award breakfast during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Exposition (AAPEX) in Las Vegas.

The award is presented to individuals in the automotive aftermarket field who have made noteworthy contributions to education, public or private, on any level, inside or outside of the industry.

Recipients are people of stature and the award is recognition of dedication over a number of years to the educational process and the automotive aftermarket. Fourteen awards were presented this year. Datt believes that learning is a life-long activity.

“The success of the aftermarket is dependent upon the continuous learning cycle and the professionalism it breeds,” says Datt. “I am honoured to receive this award and accept it on behalf of the next generation of aftermarketers.”

Ray joined AIA as president in 1998. Under his leadership, education has become a primary focus area for the association. AIA’s mandate is to promote, educate and represent members in all areas that impact the growth and prosperity of the industry. With regards to the education portion of the mandate, AIA endeavours to educate members and their customers on the importance of continuous training and improvements in business.

Northwood University is a private, business and management university with a residential campus in Michigan, Florida and Texas, the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, Maine, the Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management, 41 University College outreach and program centres throughout the United States including a Distance Education online program, and several international study programs abroad.