By Shannon Nordstrom • ARA President
Right now, I am on a plane home from Denver, Colorado, after a fulfilling week in the Rocky Mountain State attending the 2026 URG Annual Training Conference.
Vince Edivan, ARA Executive Director, and I joined Chris Daglis and his Auto PARTnered Solutions (APS) team as they hosted a two-day bus tour of local Denver facilities. It was a full bus of recyclers from overseas and from across the United States.
It is always good to talk with your fellow recyclers, see their facilities and how they get the job done. I especially enjoy the chance to talk to their staff members and say “Thank you” for being in the industry and for opening their doors to such a large group.
Since my business is located in the Midwest, many recyclers in the West are frequent trading partners. Visiting their facilities gives me the opportunity to thank them for the business we do with them through Team PRP.
Obligations at home kept me from making the first leg of the Day One tour at Stadium Auto Parts, but I caught up with the group at Central Auto Parts later that day.
Our next stop was H&H Auto Parts in Loveland to see what Zane Malcom and his team had brewing at the business’s new location. They are just short of the one-year mark and in the process of growing this sprawling property that used to be home to Action Truck Parts. This move has so much potential for them, and they are quickly capitalizing on it.
Day 2 brought us to the new Denver Team PRP hub, where we witnessed the parts coming in and out from the different legs of the transport system. Team PRP has been a great partner with ARA, and so many members of ARA are also Team PRP members, trading parts across the United States, almost 100,000 pieces per month! I have seen many changes in my years in business, and the transportation systems are high on the list, that is for sure.
The bus ride was fun as we took quizzes on our phones, discussed “hot topics” in the industry, and shared many ideas that sprang from our visits.
We then made the journey south to Pueblo, and we stopped at Daurio Auto Truck. I had told Chris and his team not to put my name on the guest list as I wanted to surprise my good friends at Daurio’s. A surprise it was!
It was great! Their family had worked so hard and had so many reasons to be proud.
It was an open house for the community as our bus arrived. I am extremely proud of the Daurio family as they have been eager learners in the industry and have used the ARA Certified Auto Recycler (CAR) program to take a historic legacy family business and continue its transformation with a new inventory and dismantling building, fluid systems, and landscape improvements around the new area to create a top-notch system and flow.
They worked hard up to the last minute to make sure things looked perfect, and I felt so proud to be there with them. The weather was cold and wet, but it did not stop a huge crowd from the community and the industry from turning out to see what they had been doing and to congratulate them. Well done, Team Daurio—Nick, Mike, and Greg, be proud!
Thank you for representing our industry so well! (See Daurio Auto Truck open house, page 35.)
In what was already a busy week, up next was the annual URG/Team PRP Conference. I met up with a team from Nordstrom’s that was there to learn and network, which was great. The conference was very well done and well attended. People were buzzing about new technology ideas, both AI and new products coming to market from many vendors.
ARA and URG provided further details about the new quality assurance program that allows members to become “Certified Auto Recycler of Excellence” (CARE) participants.
Pat Huesers of Pam’s Auto and I presented information about this program as it continues to evolve. The CARE committee announced the current opportunity for ‘Beta Yards,’ and we also presented how we are working with eBay to use this new program for a Certified Recycler program that URG is bringing to the market soon.
We were also able to share with attendees the new training videos for the Parts Preparation and Shipping program sanctioned by URG, ARA, and Team PRP, (go to YouTube @AutomotiveRecyclersAssociation, look under Playlist) as well as the upcoming updates to the ARA High Voltage Vehicle Protocols found at https://certification.a-r-a.org/high-voltage-hev-vehicles/.
Now, looking to the next big show, mark your calendars to continue these discussions in Atlanta on October 14- 17 for the 83rd Annual ARA Convention and Exposition.
Hill Days Exceed Expectations
Thank you to the ARA team, committee members, direct and affiliate members who strive to create the best outcomes for our industry, always moving forward. We are busy with advocacy work and involved in key legislative efforts across the country. Vice President of Strategy and Government Affairs Emil Nusbaum has a seat at the table where it matters and has earned us the respect our industry deserves. Your support allows us to represent the best interests of ARA members on issues that make a difference.
The annual ARA Hill Days took place May 19-22, and we were eager to take our message to Capitol Hill and see what could be done on subjects such as catalytic converter reuse and other important topics. It was tremendous to gather in our nation’s capital with members from across the country and to take our message to the DC offices of our Senators and Representatives. The event offered great networking opportunities enjoyed by all.
Even with a few unexpected twists and turns, the event was very effective. We had arranged White House tours for early enrollees, but were then informed that they were subject to cancellation. Sadly, weeks before Hill Days, we learned that we would not be able to have tours. Pivoting with an idea from Vince, he secured a catamaran on the Chesapeake Bay for the small group. We docked near the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and watched the Blue Angels practice for their annual Air Show. They were literally right over our heads. The White House tour turned into an amazing networking event on the water!
We were also able to arrange personal Capitol tours thanks to South Dakota Senator John Thune’s office. While on the tour, Becky Chitwood from Car-Part contacted a friend, who just happened to be U.S. Representative Tim Moore from North Carolina. He personally took us on a “side tour,” bringing us to the prestigious House Floor, with a question-and-answer session. It was incredibly cool, and we all learned that the walk the President makes for the State of the Union is nowhere near as long as you think it is when watching on TV! We also had a photo opportunity on the House balcony, where the FIFA World Cup Trophy was on tour for the dignitaries.
It was quite a full couple of days enjoying our U.S.Capitol and being proud to be an American. The canceled-tour-to-catamaran twist turned out pretty darn good, with comradery and experiences we’ll all remember.
That was not our only twist, as the beauty of life changed plans again: Emil Nusbaum and his wife, Tala, needed to bring their first baby into the world earlier than planned, according to the doctors. All went well, and they gave birth to an adorable baby boy.
This sweet life event created a new challenge for the Hill Days organizers, as Emil is integral to it. Thankfully, most of the preparation had already been done, allowing Emil to take on a more important role as a new father.
Just to keep things interesting, we had to have one more twist. ARA has an amazing Governmental Affairs Chair, Slater Shroyer from Shroyer Auto Parts in Lansing, MI, who works amazingly well with Emil. We figured that we were in good hands while Emil was otherwise committed. Well, Slater had flight problems, which made him late and with lost luggage. He arrived just before lunch.
To kick off Hill Days without Slater or Emil, Vince led an icebreaker that helped bond the group. Hill Days veterans then offered their best tips for successful meetings on the Hill, which was a great use of the time since we had a significant number of new attendees!
Thankfully, Slater jumped right in upon arrival to lead a high-quality training session on our appointment “asks” and to review the prepared issue briefs before a lunch break. The training was essential to giving everyone confidence for our visits the next day. The ARA staff had the appointments lined up, and we were able to “head to the Hill” to present a unified front on issues such as the Part Act, Catalytic Converter Reuse, Right to Repair Act, and other issues. (Read more on ARA Hill Days on page 28.)
As the visits concluded, we reconvened and gave reports on the contacts made and opportunities to find new champions for our issues and to support our advocacy positions.
We want to grow this event each year. Please look for next year’s save-the-date and get involved. ARA will make the trip worth your time, and it will be a huge help to all our members if you can fit it into your schedule.
Next Up … The Big Show
As the year progresses, ARA will be represented at state and regional events across the country as we lead up to our industry’s next big annual event. We invite you to learn, network, and meet vendors in Atlanta on October 14-17 for the 83rd Annual ARA Convention & Exposition, themed “Driving Connections. Fueling Growth.” (Read more on ARA Convention & Expo on page 24.)
I encourage you to attend and also to “bring a friend.” Encourage your business friends to join ARA today!
We are looking out for you while you are busy selling quality ROE®—Recycled Original Equipment parts.
My prayers for a great end to summer as we continue to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday! Be safe and have fun as we patriotically glow in our freedom to do business in the greatest country on earth.
I am proud to represent you all! I encourage you to get involved, encourage new members, watch social media and the ARA Unscripted podcast, and keep up with ARA happenings. Thank you for supporting ARA so we can best support you.
