Businesswomen's Network Honors Outstanding Contributions to Women in the
Specialty Equipment Industry
LAS VEGAS, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The SEMA Businesswomen's Network
(SBN) presented the SBN Athena Award to Mike Eaton, president of Eaton
Detroit Springs, and the SBN Woman of the Year Award to Kathleen Schmatz,
president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. The
awards were announced at the annual SBN Breakfast held at the SEMA Show in
Las Vegas.
Luanne Brown, chairman of the SBN's select committee, said of Mike
Eaton: "He truly believes in the contributions and accomplishments of women
in our industry. His company employs females in the positions of chief
financial officer, vice president, marketing manager and shipping manager.
In fact, more than 50% of his managerial and office staff is female. As a
non-believer in glass ceilings, he gives females the resources and
opportunities to advance themselves and their careers. He deserves to be
recognized as an exemplary standard which other company owners and managers
should follow."
The SBN Athena Award, named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, was
established in 1994 to honor a SEMA member, male or female, or company for
outstanding contributions and dedication to women in the specialty
equipment industry. Athena Award winners must have spent considerable time
working in the specialty equipment industry and have made substantial
changes to the fulfillment, quality and advancement of women working in the
industry.
Eaton, who worked tirelessly to advance not only his company, but the
aims of the automotive aftermarket as a whole, also served in a leadership
role as member of the Armo select committee, and as a major supporter of
the "Take a Kid to a Car Show" program. His company, Eaton Detroit Springs,
evolved under his direction from a small manufacturer, to a nationally
recognized leader in the industry. He can often be heard to remark on how
he couldn't have done it without his female staff.
"This is a surprise and an honor," said Eaton. "However, this award
does not belong to me; it belongs to the women in the industry and their
tireless effort to move ahead. I applaud them for doing so and I hope their
involvement and growth in this industry continues."
The SBN Woman of the Year Award was established in 2002 to recognize
the outstanding achievements and contributions of a woman in the specialty
equipment industry. Taken into consideration is the perception of her as a
role model, including knowledge and expertise, leadership and management
roles, and her industry involvement.
"This year's recipient definitely fits the criteria. She has spent more
than 30 years working in this, an industry she loves, and has achieved a
level of accomplishment many women -- and men -- only dream about," said
Brown.
Schmatz came to AAIA after 30 years with Babcox, a leader in
aftermarket communication services, where she served as vice president and
group publisher. She has served as an officer of the Auto International
Association, the Automotive Communications Council and was the founding
president of the Car Care Council's women's board. She has also contributed
as a curriculum advisor to Northwood University and as chair of AAIA's
marketing communications committee.
Some of her past honors include the 1998 Distinguished Sales and
Marketing Award from the American Marketing Association, Auto International
Association's Person of The Year in 2001, Northwood University's 2003
Distinguished Woman's Award, and the Martin Fromm Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association in 2004.
Schmatz is also a nationally recognized advocate of the automotive
aftermarket and a sought-after speaker and presenter, appearing on the NBC
"Today Show," MSNBC and in the New York Times.
Upon receiving the award, Schmatz said. "This is a big honor, after 35
years I have been very lucky, but that luck comes from encouragement and
support from friends and colleagues. I feel honored to accept this award
and I feel that with the support of others these associations will only
continue to become stronger."
About the SEMA Show
The SEMA Show, the annual showcase of technology, trends and products
for the $34 billion automotive accessories industry, is held October
31-November 3, 2006 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
This year's exclusive event, open only to verified industry
professionals and media, will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors in over
one million square feet of space. Over 100,000 trade professionals are
expected to attend this year to walk through the 11 market-based sections
and view the anticipated 1,400 never-before seen products that will be
displayed in the New Products Showcase.
Online registration and additional information about the SEMA Show is
available at http://www.semashow.com, or by contacting ConvExx Show Management at
askus@convexx.com or 702/450-7662 ext. 118.
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963,
represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817
member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends
and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The
industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and
technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more
information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA
91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit http://www.sema.org and http://www.enjoythedrive.com.
SOURCE SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association)
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Related links:
http://www.semashow.com
http://www.enjoythedrive.com http://www.sema.org
CONTACT:
SEMA News Bureau, +1-909-396-0289, ext. 217,
or +1-714-557-3663, ext. 210
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