Celebrating the Women Who Move Our Industry Forward

There are plenty of reasons to love AAPEX. The innovation, the energy, the business opportunities, and of course, the people. Wednesday morning’s breakfast, the kickoff to Wednesday, Women in Auto Care offered a particularly meaningful reminder of what makes the automotive aftermarket such a special industry to be part of.

The Women in Auto Care Annual Networking Breakfast and Awards program brought together an incredible community of industry professionals to celebrate the women making a difference in our businesses, our industry, and in the lives of those around them.

Throughout the morning, as award recipients took the stage, a common theme emerged. Despite their different career paths, experiences, and accomplishments, nearly every woman spoke about the same thing: the people who helped them get where they are today.

The mentors who saw potential before they saw it in themselves. The colleagues who became lifelong friends. The families who supported big dreams, long hours, and bold decisions. And the women who opened doors, offered encouragement, and made room for others at the table. It was a powerful reminder that while individual accomplishments deserve to be celebrated, very few of us get where we are entirely on our own.

Personal Stories and Reflections

One particularly touching moment came from a young award recipient who spoke about her three-year-old daughter growing up surrounded by strong women in automotive. To her daughter, the industry isn’t male dominated, it’s simply a place where her mom, her grandmother, and countless other women belong, contribute, and succeed. What an incredible perspective. And what a wonderful reflection of the progress this organization continues to make.

Another recipient shared the story of her grandmother, who helped operate a family service station decades ago but was overlooked when the business received industry recognition. Generations later, today, her granddaughter stood on stage accepting a Shop Owner of the Year Award, dedicating the honor to the woman who helped inspire her.

And in a memorable moment of audience participation, another honoree distributed tiny pink army women, encouraging attendees to keep one as a reminder of their own strength and give another to someone who could use a little encouragement. A simple gesture with a powerful message: We all have an army behind us, and we have an opportunity to be part of someone else’s.

These stories were different, but their message was remarkably consistent. Success isn’t only measured by titles, accomplishments, or recognition, it’s also measured by the opportunities we create, the relationships we build, and the people we help along the way. That’s what makes Women in Auto Care so special.

It has built a community where women genuinely celebrate one another’s successes, encourage each other’s ambitions, and invest in the next generation of leaders. A big congratulations to all this year’s award winners and finalists. And to the Women in Auto Care organization, its leadership, volunteers, allies and supporters, thank you for creating opportunities to recognize women and champion their contributions to our industry.