awards and scholarships

Auto Care Association members represent the best of the auto care industry, and the association takes pride in recognizing its dynamic members' valuable contributions to keeping the industry on the road. From educators to innovators, rookies to veterans, the Auto Care Association presents a variety of awards each year to honor the standout people and businesses that are the best of the best. Why apply for an award? Watch this informative CarmCast on the benefits of getting involved: 

CarmCast Auto Care Association Awards Highlights

Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN)

  • Catalog Awards
    • The ACPN Content Excellence Awards recognize the best examples of print and electronic cataloging in the vehicle aftermarket. Each year, winners are chosen from dozens of entries and recognized at the Annual  ACPN Knowledge Exchange Conference. ACPN Committee members and industry volunteer judges select the best in class winners.  Get more details
  • Scholarship
    • Each year, ACPN awards three deserving content professionals in the auto care industry with a scholarship to attend the 2018 ACPN Knowledge Exchange conference, the largest gathering of catalog professionals and their vendors and solution providers. The Knowledge Exchange conference provides content professionals with a focused and unique opportunity to learn, share best practices, network with peers and interact with service providers in the content management space. Learn more

Automotive Warehouse Distributors (AWDA) Awards 

  • Art Fisher Award for Excellence in Education                                                         
    • Recognizes a company or individual for their leadership and commitment to education and training, either within their own organization or throughout the industry. Winners are drawn from traditional industry participants including jobbers, distributors, repair shops or manufacturers.
  • Pursuit of Excellence Award: Recognizing Special Achievement                                                         
    • Presented exclusively to AWDA member companies or employees of those member companies in the auto care industry, in recognition of excellence in business performance and the setting of high standards as an example for others to follow. 
  • Lifetime Achievement Award in Honor of Martin Fromm                                                         
    • This very selective award recognizes individuals who have, over the course of a career spanning many years, distinguished themselves through their integrity, unselfish commitment to, and high level of performance within the motor vehicle aftermarket industry.  
  • Outstanding Leadership Award in Honor of Jack Creamer (formerly the Jack Creamer Automotive Leader of the Year Award)                                                         
    •  This annual award recognizes an individual, employed in the aftermarket, who over the past several years has made a unique and monumental contribution to the industry and/or the association. This award is perceived as the industry's highest honor/recognition. 

Learn more about the AWDA awards and apply here. 

Education Committee Awards

  • Auto Care Career and Education (ACE) Award 
    • Recognizes industry companies truly dedicated to investing in the growth of their employees’ knowledge and skills, offering professional development and career opportunities. 
  • Mort Schwartz Excellence in Education Award
    • Given annually to the individual that best advances the concepts and programs for education or continuing education in the North American auto care industry. 

Import Vehicle Community Awards 

  • Hall of Fame 
    • Intended to honor outstanding individuals in the import automotive industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments have enhanced the stature of, and significantly contributed to, the import industry segment and its overall growth and progress.
  • Lifetime Industry Achievement 
    • Honors individuals whose outstanding performance, integrity, dignity and conscientious approach to business affairs are demonstrated as a matter of routine. 
  • Peter Klotz Person of the Year 
    • Honors an individual for his or her outstanding contributions to the industry and to the Import Vehicle Community during the past 12-month period preceding the selection of the current year’s award recipient.
  • Young Executive of the Year 
    • This award recognizes leadership and integrity for those executives under 40 years of age.
  • Import Product and Marketing Awards 
    •  Open to all AAPEX exhibitors and provides awards in ten categories. All entries are displayed in our showcases at AAPEX. 

Learn more and see past winners for these awards here. 

Marketing and Communications Committee Awards

  • Impact Award
    • The Auto Care Association Impact Award: Four for the Future, recognizes four people under the age of 40 who have made remarkable contributions within the auto care industry.

Upholstery and Trim International Council (UTIC) Awards

  • Lifetime Achievement
  • Upholstery and Trim International Council Hall of Fame

Information on these awards are located here. 

Young Automotive Network Group (YANG)

  • Leadership 2.0 Scholarship 
    • One deserving YANG member will earn a scholarship to attend the highly-acclaimed University of the Aftermarket’s 2018-2019 Leadership 2.0 Program. Get the details and apply
  • Internship Grant 
    • The Auto Care Careers Internship Grant Fund is intended for college students majoring in programs that have direct application to the auto care industry, such as engineering, business, communication and information technology (IT). The fund was created to help ease the financial burden of temporary relocation for students who pursue internships in locations more than 100 miles from their permanent address. See the criteria
  • Next Step Program 
    • The Next Step Program offers young industry professionals the unique opportunity to develop lasting involvement in the auto care industry and trade association by experiencing and participating in Auto Care Association’s  Spring Leadership Days. Explore the program here 

World Class Technicians - joint with Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) 

Women in Auto Care 

  • Women of the Year 
    • Women in Auto Care annually honors deserving women in the industry with three Women of the Year Awards: Auto Care Woman of the Year, Female Shop Owner of the Year and Auto Care Woman of Excellence. Award recipients will be recognized at the Women in Auto Care press conference and reception during AAPEX in Las Vegas. Go here to learn more about Women in Auto Care awards. 
  • Automotive Communications Awards
    • Recognizes companies and agencies that provide automotive information through outstanding advertising, marketing and public relations efforts. Award recipients will be recognized at the Women in Auto Care press conference and reception during AAPEX in Las Vegas. Automotive Communications Awards entries are open. Find more information under awards about eligibility and criteria; and for submissions,  apply here.
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