Midas – IMDA Hosts Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando

Midas
Published: March 24th, 2025

March 24, 2025 // Franchising.com // Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – Midas recently hosted its annual convention in Orlando, Florida, in collaboration with the International Midas Dealers Association (IMDA). The three-day event offered opportunities for attendees to network with fellow franchise owners, Midas support team members and other industry professionals, plus gain valuable insights and discover solutions to drive success for their businesses.

Midas President & Chief Operating Officer Lenny Valentino, Jr., vowed to continuously invest in the brand. During his opening remarks, Valentino highlighted investments the company took over the past year to live up to its ambition, with enhancements to programs related to training, customer experience, sales growth incentive rebates, marketing campaigns and more.

“Franchisees and the Midas support center team have made incredible strides,” said Valentino. “As we become the dealership alternative, with a clear focus on helping franchisees provide service expertise, empowering experiences, and superior value, we’ve demonstrated that when we invest in our people, our processes, and our brand, we not only meet the competition—we surpass it.”

Franchisees played a pivotal role throughout the convention, with more franchisee-led panels than ever before on topics like training and development, sales growth, emerging vehicle technology and digital vehicle inspections. And throughout the convention, Midas franchisees’ giving spirit was on display, as franchisees raised more than $23,000 for the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation, which supports individuals and families who are part of the automotive aftermarket industry and have fallen on hard times.

The awards ceremony on the final evening gave attendees an opportunity to celebrate franchisees’ sales accomplishments, with recognition for earning $2M, $3M, $4M, $5M and $6M in revenue. Other awards included:

• Franchisees of the Year: This award honors both single- and multi-unit franchise owners, who are ranked based on their store performance on the following five criteria/KPI’s: customer count, tire sales, total sales, total sales growth and total five-star Google reviews. This year’s winners were James Maurer and Gus Herlong. Maurer, the single-unit honoree, owns a Midas franchise shop in Kalkaska, Michigan. Gus Herlong, president & chief operations officer of Palmetto Garage Works, LLC, owns and operates more than 30 Midas franchise shops, with locations across Florida, South Carolina and Washington, D.C.
• Mark Smith Community Involvement Award: This award recognizes a franchise owner who strives to give back to the communities in the markets that they do business. This year’s recipient was Robin Mohns, who owns four Midas franchise shops in Maryland.
• Midas Hall of Fame: This prestigious award recognizes Midas franchisees with 20 or more years of service, who demonstrate dedication, passion for their work, and a commitment to positively impacting fellow franchisees and the Midas system through their service on the IMDA Board of Directors, Franchise Advisory Council (FAC) or a committee. This year’s honorees and ambassadors for the Midas brand were Mark Smith and Joe Stranik. Smith has six Midas shops in Richmond, Virginia, and Stranik, now retired, had several Midas franchise shops across Minnesota, which are now run by his son and current IMDA President, Adam Stranik.
• Nate Sherman Honorary Achievement: This award honors current and former Midas corporate support team members for their long standing support. This year’s winner was Midas Franchise Operations Specialist, Ted Falge.

“The strong relationships and collaboration between the IMDA, franchise committees, and Midas support teams, made this the best convention yet,” said Adam Stranik, president of the IMDA. “At Midas, we make the impossible possible, and we look forward to celebrating our continued success and Midas’ 70th anniversary at our next convention in Savannah, Georgia.”

SOURCE Midas