Victor Dirkes of Mevotech, has been appointed to CAWA’s Manufacturers' Advisory Council. During the appointment process, Michael Rukov, Chair of the Board of Directors, commented: “We are pleased to have Vic join our leadership team and contribute to our discussions of current and future industry issues”. “We look forward to his participation and contributions which will assist the Association in achieving its goals as an effective and valuable automotive aftermarket industry organization”, continued Rukov. See complete press release here.

The Association’s annual dinner gala, once again sponsored exclusively by Motorcar Parts of America, will be held at the Venetian Hotel on Sunday night October 30, 2022. The event “kicks-off” Industry Week in Las Vegas. This is the primary event that raises money for CAWA’s scholarship programs and starts the week off with entertainment, an auction and recognition of the Association’s leadership. Click here for registration materials.

I wanted to give you an update on the financial commitments CAWA has received for its scholarship programs and auction prizes for our annual dinner gala in Las Vegas, next month on October 30th. Also, see the enclosed letter from this year’s Fundraising Committee Chair, Michael Beam of Idemitsu Lubricants USA, requesting your support here (and a contribution form here).

Financial Commitments

• Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc.
• APSG Automotive Parts Services Group
• Delphi Technologies
• Interstate Batteries
• LKQ Corporation
• NAPA Distribution Center – Sacramento
• O’Reilly Auto Parts
• Parts Authority
• Prominence Insurance Company (Nevada)
• Worldpac

Auction Prizes

• Round of golf at Mission Hills Country Club – Chris Kouri & Associates
• Mammoth Lakes condo stay (5 nights) – Hart Marx Advisors
• Golf for three (including lunch and after the round cocktails) with Michael Kitching, CEO of GB Remanufacturing at the Old Ranch Country Club
• Wine tasting and lunch for four at Leoness Cellars with Chair of the Board, Michael Rukov
• Two night stay at the Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel - CAWA

Thank you for your consideration. FYI...prizes that are top fundraisers include hotel and time-share stays, sports tickets, airline tickets, travel related prizes, etc...

“CAWA is one of the most effective regional organizations that serve the aftermarket. Its services are vital to all sectors of the industry and the networking opportunities are invaluable, whether you are a distributor, supplier, shop or service provider. The Board and committees are extremely proactive and deliver important knowledge and experience. Especially valuable are the three major annual events: Winter and summer conferences and the annual dinner event in Las Vegas at the start of Industry Week. When you consider savings for programs such as insurance, membership fees are an excellent investment.”

~ Tom Marx, Hart Marx Advisors

Zero-emission vehicles will be required to have standardized on-board diagnostic systems. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has just approved the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations. The Advanced Clean Cars II regulations are in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring that all new cars sold in California be zero-emission by 2035. CARB adopted the Advanced Clean Cars I regulations in 2012. The Advanced Clean Cars II regulations include a variety of initiatives to set California on the path to zero-emissions by 2035. Most notably for independent repair shops, the Clean Car regulations require the same access and disclosure for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) throughout the California Service Information Regulation. This means that independent repair shops in California will be required to have access to the same service information and repair procedures from OEMs as they have with current internal combustion engine vehicles. See more here. Source: ABRN Newsletter

One of our employees did not show up for work yesterday and failed to call or otherwise notify us of his absence. We have a no-call/no-show/no-job policy. Another employee told us that the missing employee was arrested over the weekend and is in jail. Can we fire him? See details here. Source: Our Friends at the California Chamber of Commerce

Labor force participation is falling, the skills gap is widening, and certain industries are struggling to recover post-pandemic. In this podcast, Michael Lotito, co-chair of Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI) and Shannon Meade, executive director of WPI, discuss the historic transformation of the American workforce and what needs to be done on a national level to address the challenges employers and employees are facing. Learn More. Source: Littler

The pay gap – or paying women and other historically marginalized groups less for the same or substantially similar work – has long been in the media spotlight. But as employees, boards, consumers, and the public are increasingly expecting more from organizations surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion, the stakes for employers regarding pay equity continue to rise. Politicians have also taken note. While there have been pay discrimination laws on the books at the federal level and in most states for decades, over the past several years, state and local governments and Puerto Rico have passed numerous new laws all aimed at closing the pay gap.

At the time of publication, 21 states have enacted “second wave” pay equity laws; 29 states and municipalities have enacted salary history inquiry bans; and 21 states have enacted wage transparency provisions. This white paper provides a discussion of the nuts and bolts of the various existing pay equity laws, including:

• The elements a plaintiff must establish to prove a claim
• The defenses available to employers
• The damages available
• The procedural mechanisms that allow for these cases to be brought as class or collective actions – increasing the exposure for employers

We also provide practical recommendations to help employers avoid pay inequities. Finally, we provide tips on how employers can seek to remediate pay inequities identified through a self-audit or otherwise. Learn More. Source: Littler

It amazes me how many salespeople don’t have an annual sales plan. Of those that do, many just put it together once and barely, if ever, look at it again the rest of the year. We all know that people with written goals and a plan for their achievement, who focus on those goals continuously, are much more likely to hit their goals than those that don’t. Yes, it’s some work up front, and during the year, but the payoff is tremendous. Here are the steps to set up your annual sales plan click here. Source: John Chapin

Automotive businesses can enhance their health plan benefits for their valued employees with the CAWA Arizona Health Trust (CAWA) Association Health Plan through Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona (BCBSAZ). For more details, click here. You could be saving your company many insurance premium dollars and enhancing your health insurance benefits! Another member benefit.

See the enclosed informational piece (here) from our California based partner, Armstrong & Associates. Contact Glen Dailey at 800.632.2777 or gdailey@armstrongprofessional.com.