AAIA Town Hall to Address Workforce Shortage

BETHESDA, MD - Sept. 21, 2006 - On stage at this year's Town Hall will be NBC, CNN, PBS broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff; the Walt Disney Company's senior vice president of human resources, organization and leadership development Steven Milovich; and the co-presidents of O'Reilly Auto Parts, Greg Henslee, CEO and Ted Wise, COO. Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO, will serve as discussion moderator.

Schmatz will moderate a candid discussion and presentation of data, trends and strategies exploring the impact of the impending workforce shortage on corporate America and the aftermarket industry. The AAIA Town Hall, sponsored by NASCAR Performance, will be held Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 a.m. in the new Palazzo Ballroom in the Venetian Hotel.

"It is very clear that our industry will face a workforce shortage caused by the retiring baby boomers," Schmatz said. "I read that throughout human history, a country's population always had more young than old, until today. This demographic shift means that for the first time in American history, there won't be enough young workers to replace retiring workers. Imagine how this will impact how aftermarket companies manage their businesses and recruit and retain employees to produce, distribute and sell products and services, not to mention the distinct characteristics of the next generation of consumers."

To purchase Town Hall tickets, visit www.aftermarket.org and click on "AAPEX." Individual tickets are $90 and tables of 10 are $750.

About AAIA

AAIA is a Bethesda, Md.-based association whose more than 8,000 member companies and affiliates manufacture, distribute and sell motor vehicle parts, accessories, service, tools, equipment, materials and supplies. Through its membership, AAIA represents more than 100,000 repair shops, parts stores and distribution outlets.