• Home:
• News:
• 1-800 RADIATOR:

1-800 Radiator & AC Announces Ken Walker as a Member of the Company's Board of Directors

By: 1-800 RADIATOR |  35 Shares     259 Reads

BENICIA, CA - (Marketwire - Aug 14, 2012) - Ken Walker has joined 1-800 Radiator & A/C as Non-Executive Vice Chairman and as a member of the company's Board of Directors: "I am honored to be asked by 1-800-Radiator and its management team to look to the future. They have obviously already established themselves in both automotive distribution and franchising as innovators. I look forward to helping the team shape its future growth."

Ken has recently served as chairman and CEO of Driven Brands, Inc. Driven Brands is the parent company of Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc., Maaco Franchising, Inc., Econo Lube and Tune, Inc., Aero-Colours, Inc., AutoQual USA, Drive N' Style and Tortal.net. Walker joined Meineke as president and CEO in 1996 after serving nearly four years as president and CEO of Parts, Inc., a distributor of automotive parts and supplies with distribution facilities and stores covering 24 states.

Walker has been a member of the International Franchise Association Board of Directors since 2002, and member of the IFA Executive Committee since 2007. He is a member of the IFA Franchisor Forum, IFA Research Committee, and IFA Finance, Audit and Budget Committee. He also serves on the IFA Educational Foundation Executive Committee and served as chairman of the IFA in 2010. He recently chaired the IFA Convention Committee and the IFA political action committee, FranPAC's Advisory Committee, where he has set records in fundraising. Walker also served on the IFA Strategic Planning Working Group, which completed a 2010-2012 strategic plan for the organization. Prior to his position with Parts, Inc., Walker spent 17 years in similar businesses. Before entering the automotive aftermarket, Walker was a manager and CPA with Arthur Young and Co. in Fort Worth, Texas.

Walker is currently a member of the World President's Organization and has served as chairman of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association. He has been an instructor for many AWDA seminars and is a recipient of the AWDA Memorial Scholarship and Pursuit of Excellence Award. Walker served nine years as a member of the board of directors of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association with an active role on the Government Affairs Committee -- and is also a prior board member of the Automotive Hall of Fame. Walker is a graduate of the University of Texas.

About 1-800-Radiator & A/C

1-800-Radiator & A/C is the leading distributor of aftermarket automotive cooling parts in North America. The company has 220 locations -- most of them franchised -- serving every major market in the U.S. and Canada. The company has recently expanded into fuel pumps, undercar parts, and additional collision parts. C.E.O. of the company, Mike Rippey: "Ken's background in both the Automotive Aftermarket and in franchising complements our business perfectly. We are very excited to work with Ken to continue the company's penetration into additional auto parts categories and franchise opportunities. We all have tremendous respect for Ken and are all very fortunate to have him with us."

Contact:

Ted Rippey
(707) 747 - 7400

###

Comments:

comments powered by Disqus