Arrow Speed Warehouse of Kansas City has named Rob Eberhart national director of Specialty Parts Network (SPN), where he will assume full responsibility for a new jobber marketing program launching in January. SPN will feature marketing material for the local market, including a retail catalog, a new 32-page bimonthly retail magazine, point-of-sale special order center, posters, and more. SPN also will7 feature a national marketing effort on the Internet.

The Tire Industry Association announced the winners of the recent board of directors' elections. Thirteen seats on the board were open. Gary Albright, Becker Tire & Treading Inc., Great Bend, was among those elected to the board. 

 
Bill and Katie Metzger signaled the start of their new business in Valley Falls with a grand opening that drew up to 250 people. The couple invited local truck owners to display their rigs. Television personality C.B. Grimes from the "Trick My Truck" program on CMT was also present.

MISSOURI
American Tire Distributors Inc. plans to open a distribution center in Kansas City in December. The 87,000-square-foot greenfield facility will be the company's 82nd distribution center nationwide. "The facility will continue to fill out our service in the Midwest," said Ron Sinclair, vice president of marketing.

Advanstar Communications has announced that Jerry Holcom, owner of S&S Service Center Inc. of Kansas City, has been selected by Motor Age Magazine as one of the recipients of the 2007 Top Ten Vehicle Repair Shops in the United States.

Molle Chevrolet of Blue Springs has announced that Kevin Walter, formally of Talley's Collision Repair in Lee's Summit, has joined their organization as collision center manager. Walter brings 25 years of Autobody experience to the position. Mitch Johnson has also joined Molle Chevrolet as assistant collision center manager. Johnson brings more than 30 years of collision experience. He owned his own collision center for many years and also worked for Farmers Insurance Co. as a claims adjuster.

NEBRASKA
Nebraska's 2007 legislative session closed early this year after 22 new senators joined the legislative body. The Nebraska Autobody Association (NABA) has planned a lunch reception with veteran and new senators on Jan. 17 at the Capitol in Lincoln. The event will include a PowerPoint presentation about new vehicle technology. "It is important that legislators understand emerging motor vehicles trends as well as the training and technology required to repair those vehicles," said NABA Executive Director Norbert Zaenglein.

Tom Malone from Husker Automotive in Lincoln was one of four winners of the Automotive Parts Associates 2007 Professionals' Choice Auto Parts VIP Race Weekend. Each of the winners brought a guest for the weekend focused on racing. On Saturday and Sunday, winners and their guests were treated to seats plus pit passes at Kansas Speedway for the Busch and NEXTEL races.

LKQ Midwest Auto Parts Corp. of Omaha has promoted Jeff Peterson to plant manager of the Omaha operations. Peterson has been with LKQ Midwest Auto Parts Corp. for 17 year. He manages 36 employees in the 40,000 square-foot plant that sits on 18 acres.

After 17 years in business serving Plainview, Dave's Body and Repair has closed its doors. Bowman's last day was Sept. 9.  

SOUTH DAKOTA
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI), in conjunction with Zurich, formerly Universal Underwriters Group, recently announced that Holly Carnes, owner of Steve's Auto Repair in  Tea, was the recipient of the Zurich "High Octane" Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a management-oriented member of the Automotive Service Association Mechanical Division. The recipient receives $1,000 toward expenses to attend AMI seminars offered during the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service in Las Vegas on Nov. 1-3.