MacKay & Co. to lead seminar on understanding commercial vehicle market opportunities at GAAS 2014

More and more automotive aftermarket distributors and suppliers are expanding from light vehicle into the commercial vehicle market. Two experts from MacKay & Company will answer the question: “Is a Heavy Duty Expansion in Your Future?” during their breakout seminar at the 2014 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, Ill. GAAS 2014, “Connected,” will take place from May 20-21. 

MacKay & Company’s John Blodgett, vice president and Molly MacKay Zacker, vice president of operations, will provide an overview on two areas of interest to this segment and the potential opportunities for aftermarket companies to expand into this market. 

“Value line demand and availability in the commercial vehicle segment continues to increase through aftermarket and OES channels,” explained MacKay Zacker.  “Key information will be presented on how fleets perceive value lines, what drives selection, what components are sourced in greater quantity and where is the point of purchase for value lines.”

The second part of the breakout session will provide insights on what heavy duty distributors expect from their suppliers. 

MacKay & Company is a specialized management consulting and market research firm recognized for their commercial on-highway vehicle practice. MacKay Zacker (as her name implies) has been involved in this family business since she was old enough to put labels on surveys, type and answer phones. Work at a young age was always not by choice. In her current role as vice president of operations, she coordinates many behind the scenes activities, manages the research department, writes and proofreads reports and presentations and conducts research. Prior to her most recent tenure with MacKay & Company (since 1998), Molly managed preschools; a smaller one in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and one in East Lansing, Michigan with 250 children and 34 staff members. 

Blodgett started working for MacKay & Company in 1994 as project manager overseeing single and multi-client research projects. Since 2001, Blodgett has served as MacKay & Company’s sales and marketing manager. He is primarily responsible for client contact with prospective and existing clients and still has responsibilities for occasional multi-client and proprietary research projects.  

The session with MacKay Zacker and Blodgett is one of three breakout seminars at GAAS 2014. Each session will be repeated once. The other two sessions are “Developing a Real Plan for Strategy Action and Results” by Charles Dayton, president, ActionStrategy and “The Journey from Employee to Trusted Advisor” with John Passante, president and CEO, The Organizational Development Group and Tom Stockham, CEO, eXperticity.  

To download the registration brochure for GAAS 2014 and to view the latest copy of the agenda, visit www.globalsymposium.org. Each year the net proceeds of GAAS are invested in the organization’s scholarship fund to help students start their automotive aftermarket career. GAAS has awarded scholarships to more than 1,800 students representing $1.8 million in aid. 

For more information on GAAS 2014, visit www.globalsymposium.org or phone 301-654-6664.