MEMA to Honour General Parts Inc.’s Temple Sloan

O. Temple Sloan Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of General Parts Inc., Raleigh, N.C., will be honoured with the prestigious Triangle Award, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association’s (MEMA) highest honour.
The presentation to the top executive of General Parts Inc., parent of Carquest Canada, will be made during the Kick-Off Breakfast on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, Nev.
The event, organized by the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), MEMA’s aftermarket segment association, also will feature presentations by top aftermarket industry leaders, “Examining the State of the Aftermarket.”
“This setting is ideal for our tribute to Temple Sloan, who has been a visionary leader in the aftermarket,” said Bob McKenna, president and CEO of MEMA. “Temple’s hands-on work ethic, his recruitment and development of good people, and his financial acumen have earned him a place among the industry legends who have received the MEMA Triangle Award,” he added.
McKenna noted that the Triangle Award’s main prestige arises from its selective presentation process. “From its inception, the Triangle Award was not intended as an annual award,” he said. “The award is only presented when truly-deserving candidates are found those whose contributions have advanced the automotive industry.”
According to McKenna, that philosophy has enhanced its prestige. “The MEMA Triangle award furthers the belief that many of the most important contributions to the industry are made by those who work quietly and effectively behind the scenes, out of the glare of public accolade, to advance the interests of the entire industry,” he said.
Past Triangle Award winners include the late Joseph M. Magliochetti of Dana Corp.; Tom Gallagher of Genuine Parts Co., Atlanta, Ga.; Robert H. Raff, MAAP; L. Gene Stohler of Masco Tech Inc.; Frederick J. Mancheski of Echlin Inc.; John M. Riess (then of The Gates Rubber Co.); Larry McCurdy (then of Moog Automotive); and Jack Reilly (then of Tenneco Automotive) in 1992.
“Today, with more than 40 years in the business, Temple Sloan is still enthusiastic about our business,” noted MEMA Chairman Michael Cardone Jr., chairman and CEO of Cardone Industries. “He is truly an accomplished leader and has contributed greatly to the growth of our industry,” he noted.
A native of Sanford, N.C., Sloan founded General Parts in 1961 at age 21, while still a student at Duke University. After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration, Sloan went on to establish the Carquest marketing organization in 1972.
Under Sloan’s leadership, General Parts has grown to become one of the largest distribution companies of auto parts in North America. The company has 60 distribution centres, revenues exceeding $2 billion U.S. and more than 3,700 Carquest parts stores. GPI is the principal member of Carquest with approximately 80 percent of its total revenues.
Sloan’s business judgement has earned him respect far beyond the automotive aftermarket.
He holds posts on the boards of directors of several other major businesses outside the automotive industry, including serving as the chairman of the executive committee of the Bank of America board.
Sloan has been an active supporter of aftermarket associations and events, having served as chairman of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA). He has been recognized for his efforts within the industry including the AWDA Leader of the Year and Northwood University Outstanding Business Leader.
He is active in civic projects both personally and through his business, leading Carquest to raise more than $5 million U.S. for the Special Olympics.