I love my job and I love this industry. I feel I could go anywhere and be able to find a job,” says Stephanie DeAnda, a 1997-98 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium scholarship recipient. “I don’t know many people who have entered the aftermarket and not liked it and wanted to stick with it.”

Since graduating from Northwood University in 1999 with dual bachelor’s degrees in Automotive-Aftermarket Management and Marketing/Management, DeAnda has worked her way up the ranks of the aftermarket industry. She has had an internship with the Automotive Service Industry Association; a job as associate product planner and assistant motorsports coordinator with Tenneco; worked as marketing coordinator with Bilstein Shock Absorbers, a division of Thyssen Krupp; and she’s served as youth market manager for Meguiar’s Inc. Recently, DeAnda was promoted to Southwest Area Sales Manager at Meguiar’s.

“This scholarship and my education from Northwood have opened doors that would not have been opened otherwise,” DeAnda explains. “I have actually gotten interviews at companies not hiring because of the focused education that I received. Part of being chosen (for this scholarship) by a committee of leaders in the automotive aftermarket is that it becomes an affirmation by these people that through my hard work in school they saw me as a potential future leader in this industry.”

Since it began in 1996, the GAAS Scholarship Fund has awarded over 1,000 students with more than $1 million in financial assistance. This year, a total of 133 students each received $1,000 scholarships.

A recent survey of scholarship winners showed that, overall, 85 percent of the recipients are working in the aftermarket. “These run the whole spectrum of industry companies,” says Pete Kornafel, chairman of the GAAS Scholarship Selection Committee. “They include independent mechanical shops, collision shops, truck shops, service chains, parts stores, warehouse distributors and suppliers. There are also a number of diesel students working for truck and government fleets.”

Four out of five recipients said the scholarship helped them “a lot.” Half learned about the scholarship from a high school or post secondary teacher, counselor or administrator, while 21 percent found out about it on the Internet.

To encourage students to pursue an industry career, GAAS awards a matching grant to all scholarship recipients who graduate from their program and show proof of employment as a technician in the aftermarket for at least six months after graduation.

A great start
Curt Gottschalk has always had a passion for working with cars, and after earning a GAAS scholarship during his junior year in 2000-01, he graduated from Northwood University in 2002 with a Business Administration degree in Automotive-Aftermarket Management.

“I love to work on vehicles but also enjoy the business aspect of the field,” he explains. “The day is gone where just anyone can work on vehicles, and more and more individuals are leaning towards specialty markets. Going into the aftermarket management field, my options were wide open as to where I could go.”

Gottschalk currently works as a purchasing manager at JD Metalworks in Clare, Mich., handling responsibilities such as managing inventory, purchasing inventory and non-inventory items, and managing a separate department that manufactures stainless steel food service equipment.

“The biggest way (the scholarship) helped me achieve my goals was by reducing the costs associated with my education,” notes Gottschalk. “I was able to concentrate more on where I wanted to go and how I was going to get there. I was able to explore several different jobs during and after graduation.”

Brian Lesiewicz, who’s been out of college just over a year, is already working as the GM accessories rep for the Akron/Youngstown areas for Automotive Distributor’s Warehouse (ADW). His degree is also in Automotive-Aftermarket Management from Northwood University, and although he’s working more in the dealer channel, he still feels like his education has prepared him for his role.

“This job is unbelievable,” says Lesiewicz. “I got turned down to do a job like this 10 times because of the phrase ‘you don’t have the experience.’ This boss took a chance with me, as well as others.
“The GAAS scholarship was a tremendous scholarship to receive because it’s directly tied into the aftermarket with the names and contacts and support you have,” he continues. “It gets your name out there in this industry.”

Unlocking the future
So where do these ambitious recipients see themselves in five to 10 years? For some, like Gottschalk, it’s advancing in their current careers and eventually buying a share of the family business, JD Metalworks. “I currently handle all of our purchasing and my goal would be to pass some of that on and work into more critical roles in running the business.”

Lesiewicz sees himself in this industry forever. “My dad’s been in it for 32 years. I have too much invested into it. My short-term goal would be to see programs in every single one of my dealerships,” he explains. “I love this company and the people I work with.”

To attract more students, he suggests Northwood alumni should promote the university and the scholarship program within other organizations, both in the industry and out, so we can keep the opportunities open for future leaders.