How much does the average Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) member eat for breakfast? If the food supplied to Town Hall attendees at AAPEX this year is any indication, it's enough to keep them fueled until lunch.
Sponsored by NASCAR Performance, the AAIA Town Hall breakfast program will be held at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. The association expects "more than 1,000 attendees."
If 1,200 people attend, they will each average the following, based on what the AAIA says it is cooking up for the event:
* 3.3 eggs,
* two sausage links,
* about two strips of bacon,
* 1/4 of a pound of potatoes,
* 16.6 ounces of coffee (about a cup and a half), and
* 14.8 ounces of orange juice.
In addition, AAIA will provide 75 pounds of mushrooms and 30 pounds of cheese.
A VIP panel representing the manufacturing and repair channels and noted oil and industry analysts "will tackle the issue of how energy costs are impacting the aftermarket," according to AAIA. Economic and consumer behavior trends and aftermarket industry reaction will be analyzed by the following:
* Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA CEO and president, who will moderate the Town Hall panel;
* Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst, Oil Price Information Service;
* Frank Ordonez, president of aftermarket operations, Delphi Corp.;
* David Portalatin, director of industry analysis, The NPD Group Inc.
* Tony Zanders, president, Heritage Auto Repair, and chairman, Car Care Professionals Network.
Tickets for the 2008 AAIA Town Hall are now available. Individual tickets are $90 and a table of 10 is $750. For ticket information, visit www.aftermarket.org and click on "Meetings/Events."
AAIA, which includes the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show, will be held in Las Vegas the week of Nov. 3.
