Midland, Mich.--It's critical for any organization to adapt to the needs of the marketplace, but it requires experience and insight. Brian Cruickshank, longtime Counterman editor, said he brings those strengths to Northwood University's University of the Aftermarket.
"The program needed someone who understood the aftermarket from the top to bottom," said Cruickshank, who began as the program's director in February. "It was critical that the program had a plan and direction."
On accepting the directorship, Cruickshank said he and Dr. Tim Nash, graduate and specialty programs vice president and dean of DeVos Graduate School of Management, took a critical look at the program's strengths and weaknesses. "I took the job because everywhere I looked, there was nothing but support from the industry," Cruickshank said. "With the right plan, the support is there."
Cruickshank said his background with an aftermarket trade publication gave him insight to every level of the channel, from installers to parts manufacturers. That insight, coupled with a close examination of each of the program's segments, led him to make several changes to strengthen the program's position and viability in the aftermarket, he said.
University-level training
"Program distribution groups have great technician and jobber training," Cruickshank said. "Why would the University of the Aftermarket want to compete with those?
"The majority of what we'll focus on is university-level training," he said. "What people are clamoring for is business or executive-level education."
Northwood's DeVos Graduate School of Management offers such courses as part of its master of business administration (MBA) degree program, Cruickshank said. Aftermarket certifications can be obtained, which include Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP)--a certification he holds--and the Master's Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP). Those certifications remain an emphasis, he said, adding that he plans to heavily promote them to the aftermarket.
"It is likely that the University of the Aftermarket will start accrediting other organizations' training programs," Cruickshank said, adding that those will include offerings from several industry associations.
The University of the Aftermarket already accredits courses at Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS), he said, and for the first time this year, some courses at the Automotive Aftermarket Product Expo (AAPEX) also will qualify.
Leadership 2.0
Cruickshank said he aims to strengthen the University of the Aftermarket's Leadership 2.0, an MBA-level program that involves a group of participants with diverse aftermarket backgrounds to collaborate on industry topics of their choosing.
The program consists of several teams that work on projects in two sessions, presenting their findings to the class in the second session, he said. The best group then presents each year at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS).
This year's winners examined telematics and its influence on the aftermarket, Cruickshank said. The team consisted of Nataki Barnes of Federal-Mogul Corp., J.R. Bishop of Federated Auto Parts, Jim Dykstra of Dykstra's Auto Service, T.J. Fontana of Tenneco, and Mike Harvey of Affinia.
"Telematics has the potential to fundamentally change the aftermarket," Cruickshank said, by changing the way motorists choose to service their vehicles. He added that the topic will be discussed by Kathleen Schmatz, president of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), at the Aftermarket eForum on July 14-16 in Chicago.
New technology for long-distance learning
Although the University of the Aftermarket had a long-distance learning program via the Internet, the system was antiquated, Cruickshank said. He said he has decided to continue the program, which is a viable educational opportunity for busy business executives, but retool it with updated technology.
"It's my intent to have a program up and running by the end of the year," he said. "It's really tough to have people get on a plane and travel to a two-day seminar."
Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies
Cruickshank said the Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies, which received much industry support, opened in May. Named in honor of Temple Sloan Jr., the founder of General Parts International (GPI), the 25,500-square-foot building is home to the Sloan Aftermarket Management Program [and the] University of the Aftermarket, he said, adding that it's also [the new] home to the Leadership 2.0 program.
The Sloan family and employees of GPI and CARQUEST donated more than half of the $6 million required for construction of the building, he said.
"The industry should be very proud of itself," he said. "It was funded exclusively through industry donations." The building is at Northwood University's Midland, Mich., campus, one of three residential campuses, which also include Texas and Florida.
