Several Colorado teenagers learned life-saving driving techniques at the Driver's Edge National Tour at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver on Aug. 2-3.  Driver's Edge presented the half-day sessions with classroom and behind-the-wheel training for young drivers.  The event also featured an educational session on the importance of proper vehicle maintenance, based on Firestone Complete Auto Care's Car Care Academies.  The nonprofit organization reported that there were 535 motor vehicle related fatalities in Colorado in 2006, and of those fatalities, 124 were age 16 to 24. 

 
Tire World Inc., a five-store tire retailer based in Colorado Springs, has become a Mighty Auto Parts franchisee. President Bill Prentice said the Mighty parts operation will run separate from the retail tire operations and will service other independent shops and dealerships in the area with brake pads and rotors, belts, filters, tire repair, wheel weights, flush and performance chemicals, wipers, and more.

Go Dodge of Arapahoe, an AutoNation dealership in Centennial, recently appointed Chad Albertson as its parts director.  Albertson said he spent more than a decade serving as assistant parts manager at sister store Go Courtesy Ford in Littleton.  An immediate objective of the dealership's parts department is to increase wholesale sales to collision repair shops, he said.

Dan Rounkles, wholesale parts coordinator for Mile High Honda Mitsubishi Acura in Denver, has made several moves to boost wholesale parts business that include adding personnel, phone lines, and delivery trucks.  Rounkles said he recently hired Sue De Pold, who has more than two decades of Honda parts experience, to serve as wholesale parts specialist.  "The reason for the change was to build better customer service," Rounkles said, adding that the dealership runs 10 delivery trucks daily from Fort Collins to Pueblo, in addition to using courier Noble Logistics.

Bob MaGee, parts manager for Murray Motor Imports Mercedes-Benz store, marks a year on the job this month.  He said he has more than three decades of parts experience, mainly with Mercedes-Benz.  He said he also spent seven years with Stuttgart Auto Body, an independent collision repair facility.  "You have to treat independent shops just like your own," he said, adding that a big part of serving them is sharing parts and repair information.  He noted that he allows his customers access to Mercedes' Electronic Parts Catalog (EPCnet), which allows independent shop personnel to see the same parts schematics that his counter staff does. 

Broadway Dodge of Littleton is has nearly reached the one-year mark of its new dealership at 5600 S. Broadway, which opened in November.  Parts Manager Bryon Klapal said Owner Jerry Morris tore down the old store and built a new one on the same lot.  In the move, the parts department has more space, but about the same amount of inventory, Klapal said, adding that he now has two wholesale delivery trucks and drivers who service mechanical and collision repair shops in the immediate area.  "The inventory will grow as our business grows," he said

Dennis "Magoo" McGowan was recently appointed parts manager at Mike Naughton Ford in Aurora.  McGowan, who formerly served as the dealership's parts manager, said he has more than three decades of parts experience in Colorado.

Jerry and Beth Schroppel, co-owners of Big O Tires in Conifer, were recently awarded the Conifer Rotary Club's 2008 Ethics in Business Award.  Mike Daniels, a member of the ethics committee, said the business is involved in most of the community's major events and nonprofit organizations.