SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Troy Thompson of Ramona received the Automotive Technology Outstanding Student Scholarship during the recent 2008 North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) Conference at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in 
Williamsport, Pa. Each year Mitchell 1 recognizes one U.S. high school senior for outstanding achievement in automotive technology scholastics. Thompson was presented with a check for $2,500 along with a recognition certificate from Mitchell 1.
The Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance has announced that the second annual event will again be at the historic O'Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs on March 1, 2009. The collection of more than 100 domestic and foreign museum-quality cars is expected to draw more than 7,500 spectators from around the world. Awards will be presented to at least 30 automobiles in 14 categories. The featured marque of the 2009 Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance is Alfa Romeo. Also, as a special tribute to the late Robert Pond, 
co-founder of the Palm Springs Air Museum and a noted aviator and car collector, an array of his most noteworthy automobiles will join this year's Concours, some on public display for the very first time. Also planned for this year's Concours is a selection of Dan Gurney's winning Eagle racecars. For more information, visit www.DesertConcours.com.
Four Seasons Inc. announced that 11 Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper parts store employees, including two from California, have won an all-expense-paid trip to the Texas Motor Speedway for the Team Texas Driving School Experience through the "Test Your A/C Knowledge & Win" sweepstakes. The grand prize racing day took place on Sept. 11. The trip included airfare, ground 
transportation, hotels, meals, and a 30-lap driving experience. The winners also toured the Four Seasons and ACi Auto Components manufacturing facilities in Grapevine, Texas. The two California winners of the "Test Your A/C Knowledge & Win" were Steve Hernandez of Star Auto Parts in Chino and Mark Scheurer of Genuine Auto Parts in Colton.
A 27-year veteran of Toyo, Yasushi Takagi, was recently appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of Toyo located in Cypress. Takagi will work with staff in all departments to continuously 
evaluate sales and marketing effortsTire U.S.A. Corp. in the United States and create plans for the future.
Microflex Corp. a supplier of latex and synthetic hand protection, has announced a partnership with hot-rod designer and television personality Rich Evans, owner of Huntington Beach Bodyworks. The partnership will promote the use of the Microflex line of gloves as not only necessary for workers' safety, but as a high-style accessory in the automotive industry.
Bewley Allen Cadillac in Alhambra has earned the award for the highest Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) for all volume Cadillac dealerships in the United States for 2007.
Fletcher Jones Motorcars plans to open an Ontario Mercedes-Benz dealership at the end of 2009. The dealership is expected to take up eight acres. Fletcher Jones Management Group, based in Las Vegas, plans to open other dealerships in Temecula, Maui, Hawaii, and Henderson, Nev. The Temecula dealership is adhering to the green standards put forth by the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization. Fletcher Jones' Newport Beach dealership helped to pay for Newport Harbor High School's $135,000 football field, which is used by Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high schools and community soccer teams.
SSF Imported Auto Parts Inc. moved its Long Beach location to Carson in August. The new 95,000-square-foot facility will function as SSF's Southern California Distribution Center, allowing a direct flow of products to that market and improving service to the customer base. Headquartered in South San Francisco, SSF specializes in spare parts for European makes and has a comprehensive selection of service, collision, and hard-to-find parts for both late model and classic cars.
Steve Shipley is the new parts manager at Peoples Chevrolet in Chula Vista. He brings more than 37 years of experience to the position.
National Pronto Association has announced the addition of Completes Plus to the Pronto group. Completes Plus is headquartered in Lawndale, with branch locations in Inglewood, West Los Angeles, and Torrance. Completes Plus serves Los Angeles and Orange counties. National Pronto Association has 80 shareholders with 144 distribution centers.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich led a trade mission to China supported by the World Trade Center Association Los Angeles-Long Beach and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. (LAEDC). To encourage direct investment from China to Los Angeles County, the delegation visited Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, and Dalian in September and participated in the World Economic Forum's New Champions meeting in Tianjin. The itinerary included "invest in Los Angeles County" conferences and meetings with Chinese companies in industries of motor vehicles and accessories, computer and telecommunications, utilities and utility equipment, metals and metal products, and transportation and logistics.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) last week leveled a $305,250 fine on Bimbo Bakeries USA of Fort Worth, Texas, maker of Francisco and Oroweat breadsand Tia Rosa tortillas for failing to inspect diesel trucks for air quality violations that occurred in 2006 and 2007. CARB fleet inspectors cited Bimbo Bakeries, part of Grupo Bimbo, an international bakery leader, for failing to test its diesel trucks for excess emissions at 58 fleet facilities around the state.
CARB has also fined Safety-Kleen Systems Inc., a hazardous-waste disposal company and cleaning products manufacturer, $43,500 for diesel truck emission violations that occurred in 2006 and 2007 throughout California. An ARB audit found that the company did not conduct the mandatory fleet inspections at locations in Sylmar, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, El Monte, Highland, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Oakland, Reedley, Rohnert Park, Sacramento, and Salida.
CARB has also fined Airgas Inc., a multipurpose distributor based in Radner, Pa., $43,000 for diesel truck emissions violations that occurred in 2006 and 2007 throughout California. An ARB fleet audit found that the company had not been conducting the required annual emissions inspections on their heavy-duty diesel vehicles in Hayward, San Jose, Sacramento, Modesto, Chico, Yuba City, Woodland, Fresno, Lodi, Stockton, Diamond Springs, Concord, Merced, Susanville, Turlock, Santa Rosa, Redding, San Francisco, Salinas, San Carlos, Dublin, and Visalia. Airgas, through its subsidiaries, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases. They also distribute other products, such as welding equipment and supplies, as well as safety products.
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