The AASA Executive Breakfast on Tuesday, Nov. 1, will be the most talked about event at AAPEX 2011. We are opening a dialogue at this year’s event between the leading private equity firms for a discussion of ‘‘Under the Hood: How Private Equity Is Changing the Automotive Aftermarket.”

Tony Cristello, managing director at BB&T Capital Markets Equity Research, will moderate the panel of leading private equity executives, which includes Mark Barnhill, principal, Platinum Equity (owner of Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. and Wheel Pros); Kosty Gilis, managing director of Onex Partners (owner of Tomkins, parent of Gates Corp.); Terry Theodore of Wynnchurch (owner of Vista-Pro Automotive) and John Tudor of Friedman, Fleischer and Lowe (owner of Transtar Industries). 

Here is why you want to reserve your table now for the AASA Executive Breakfast on Nov. 1:

#1 – Private Equity Recognizes the Automotive Aftermarket’s Potential

• Investors are attracted to the relative stability and reliable growth of the aftermarket evidenced by our industry’s strong performance during the economic downturn.
• The aftermarket has made investors money: the BB&T Automotive Aftermarket Index has outperformed the S&P 500 by more than 58 percent in the last three years and 91 percent over the last 5 years.

#2 – Private Equity Has Lots of Capital to Potentially Invest in the Aftermarket

• Private equity has more than $500 billion in ‘dry powder’ to invest.

#3 – Private Equity Investment in the Aftermarket Is Growing

• PE is already invested in some of the biggest and best-known companies in the aftermarket:

Affinia Auto Meter             Cooper Standard            Dayton Parts            Edelbrock                 Hercules Tire             Keystone                Qualis                Stant                Tomkins/Gates             TRW                Vista-Pro

AAMCO BBB Dayco Dura Gabriel Hopkins MSD Hopkins Tire Rack Transtar UCI/Fram

#4 – The Automotive Aftermarket Can Gain from Partnering with Private Equity

• Private equity has a successful track record of supporting growth.
• Aftermarket executives can benefit from the experiences private equity professionals bring from other industries.

#5 – Private Equity Is Interested in the Aftermarket

• More than ever private equity understands and is attracted to the aftermarket.
• Today, private equity firms are investors in more than 100 automotive aftermarket companies in North America alone.  This is twice as many as five years ago and BB&T Capital Markets expects the number of aftermarket companies owned by private equity to grow significantly over the next decade.

You can reserve your spot at the AASA Executive Breakfast at AAPEX, set for 7-8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Ballrooms G-I, The Venetian, Las Vegas by clicking here.

Here’s a valuable show week “survival” tip – AASA has the amenities and services you need for a successful AAPEX 2011: meeting space, computer stations, free printing, coffee, snacks and more! All the details are available here.

See you in Las Vegas!

Steve Handschuh
President & COO
shandschuh@mema.org