News, Trends & Reports from the Automotive Recyclers Association
Hill Days, to be held on May 19-21, 2026, is ARA’s annual advocacy event that brings industry leaders together in Washington, D.C. for education, engagement, and direct dialogue with lawmakers. Over the course of three days, participants will gain the tools and confidence needed to effectively advocate key legislative priorities while building meaningful connections with peers and association leadership. Register now at https://www.a-r-a.org/calendar-2/hill-days/.
At NAATBATT 2026
In February Emil Nusbaum, ARA’s VP of Strategy, Government and Regulatory Affairs, traveled to Tucson, Arizona, to attend NAATBatt International’s Seventeenth Annual Meeting & Conference. NAATBatt International is the leading trade association representing the advanced battery industry in North America. Its membership spans the full battery lifecycle, including government agencies, battery recyclers, automotive manufacturers, and battery logistics companies.
As co-chair of the Policy and Regulatory Committee, Emil led the Policy & Regulatory Committee’s annual meeting and discussed how federal and state policy activities are impacting the battery industry on key issues related to manufacturing, safety, extended producer responsibility, and recycling, which are of significant importance to ARA member businesses and how they operate their facilities. With participation in NAATBatt’s annual conference and committees, ARA has been able to learn about trends in the automotive industry and the new and emerging technologies that automotive recyclers will see in the next generation of motor vehicles. ARA’s involvement underscores the importance of automotive recyclers in creating a strong automotive and battery industry relationships as a key player in the vehicle lifecycle.
New Episodes are Live!
ARA UNSCRIPTED is a candid, long form podcast hosted by Vince Edivan, Executive Director of the Automotive Recyclers Association. Each episode features open, unscripted conversations with leaders, innovators, and respected voices from across the automotive recycling industry and beyond.
With nine episodes already released and thousands of streams, the podcast has quickly built momentum and an engaged listener base. New episodes drop every other week, delivering consistent, high-quality content to industry professionals who value real conversation over polished soundbites.
With no scripts and no filters, the show dives into real discussions about work, leadership, challenges, wins, and the human side of the industry—sharing authentic stories and insights that educate, inspire, and strengthen connection within the auto recycling community.
ARA Unscripted can be found on ARA’s YouTube channel as well as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Why Sponsor an Episode of ARA Unscripted?
Sponsoring an episode of ARA Unscripted puts your brand in front of an engaged, industry specific audience in a way that feels natural, trusted, and relationship driven—not like traditional advertising.
With thousands of listens across its first nine episodes and a steady bi-weekly release schedule, sponsors gain ongoing visibility in a growing media platform that listeners actively choose and trust. Each sponsored episode includes a host read message delivered organically within the show, allowing your company to share its story and demonstrate how it supports automotive recyclers and the industry as a whole.
Sponsorships are intentionally limited, ensuring clarity, exclusivity, and meaningful impact for each partner.
This is an ideal opportunity to:
- Build brand awareness with ARA members and industry professionals
- Strengthen credibility through authentic, host-delivered storytelling
- Align your company with ARA’s modern, high engagement media platform
Your message isn’t just heard—it’s associated with credibility, consistency, and real industry conversation.
Contact Vince today at vince@a-r-a.org for more information.
Connecting Out West
ARA President Shannon Nordstrom and Secretary Emily Yancey traveled back to Reno Nevada to the Peppermill Resort and Casino, the site of the 2024 ARA Convention, to represent ARA at the regional Western Auto Recycling Alliance “Driven to succeed” show. Shannon was a featured speaker talking about his personal experiences processing High Voltage Vehicles, storing and shipping the batteries and the challenges and opportunities it presents. Emily and Shannon engaged with professional recyclers from the western regions and enjoyed reacquainting with recyclers they had not worked with for a while and meeting new faces that are coming into the industry.
“It was great to connect with recyclers from California, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and other Western states and share our interest in what is best for the industry,” shared Shannon. “We were encouraged by the meeting and look forward to making deeper connections in the best interest of our industry. Sandy Blalock and Kim Glasscock put on a nice event and they said they were looking to build on it for the future to bring recyclers together understanding the importance of advocacy and association and to build something those in the west region of states can work together and can use long into the future.”
Leadership Transition for 2026-2027
In March, ARA announced that First Vice President, Sean Krause of Speedway Auto Parts, Joliet, IL, has officially stepped down from his leadership position on the ARA Executive Committee and Board of Directors. “It truly has been an honor to work with the brightest minds of our industry,” said Krause. “At this time, with a heavy heart, it pains me that I need to step down from my position as First Vice President and Board of Directors immediately for personal reasons. I can’t express how kind, understanding, and supportive everyone has been through these difficult times my family has been going through.”
“I have really enjoyed getting to know Sean during his time on the Executive Committee,” said ARA Executive Director, Vince Edivan. “His hard work and astute decision-making skills served the membership well.”
Association leadership team and staff are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and current President, Shannon Nordstrom, will serve an additional year as President for 2026/2027. Immediate Past President, Eric Wilbert, will also serve an additional year. During the Annual Meeting in October, a new Secretary will be elected and the Executive Committee will return to a five-member body.
Please purchase your 2026 CAR Record prior to your professional audit so that your auditor has a CAR Record to work with. As always, the dedicated contact
person at the auto recycling facility should fill out Section 1 – Facility Operation (the licensing and general information section) as well as the self-audit sections for High Voltage Vehicles (HVV), Recall (for airbag sales on eBay Motors) and the Gold Seal sections. Yes, Gold Seal will continue to be included in the CAR record in 2026 until the new Quality Compliance Program in partnership with URG is launched.
Being a CAR‑recognized member offers far more than a badge of honor—or even the branded swag you can order through Commercial Forms.
Members benefit from timely compliance reminders, enforcement alerts, and exclusive training opportunities designed to keep you informed, prepared, and confident in an evolving regulatory
environment.
A Clear Path Forward
ARA Board of Directors Approves 2026-2028 Association Strategic Plan
By Jessica Andrews
The January/February edition of Automotive Recycling magazine included a comprehensive “behind the scenes” look at the activities of ARA leadership and staff as they gathered for a Strategic Planning meeting and mapped the Association’s priorities for the next three years. ARA is pleased to announce that on February 17, 2026, the Board of Directors approved a Strategic Plan that will focus the Association’s work through 2028. Every three years, these meetings are held to keep leadership focused on agreed-upon priorities and staff focused on implementing specific goals.
The newly adopted Strategic Plan is organized around five interconnected pillars. Together, these pillars are designed to strengthen the professional automotive recycling industry, enhance member value, and position ARA as a trusted leader in advocacy, sustainability, and collaboration.
“The 2026–2028 Strategic Plan builds directly on the progress made over the past three years by shifting from building capacity to maximizing impact,” said Vince Edivan, ARA’s executive director. “From 2023–2025, ARA invested heavily in foundational work—launching a new website and CRM, strengthening advocacy leadership (particularly around EV and battery policy), expanding certification and compliance programs, and improving communications. The new plan leverages those investments by organizing the next phase of work into clear, interconnected pillars focused on execution, alignment, and measurable member value.”
Pillar One: Strengthening Membership at Every Stage
At the heart of the Plan is a renewed commitment to membership. ARA aims to strengthen, grow, and retain a membership base that truly reflects the diversity of the professional automotive recycling industry—how it looks now and what it may look like in the future. This includes serving all membership categories with a clear value proposition and a more consistent, engaging member experience throughout the year.
Key priorities include defining members’ goals and needs at each stage of the member journey, developing consistent marketing materials, and creating clear pathways that guide members through certification. The Plan also highlights specific benefit needs that staff have already begun working on.“We are looking to focus more on a practical, service-driven approach to membership value,” said ARA Senior Director of Member Services, Kelly Badillo.
Pillar Two: Advocacy as a Competitive Advantage
Advocacy remains central to ARA’s mission and is what truly sets ARA apart from any other organization. Through this pillar, the Association will work to continue to position itself as the trusted legislative and policy voice for automotive recyclers while advancing regulatory priorities that matter most to member companies. The Plan calls for expanded thought leadership on policy issues, stronger grassroots engagement, and closer alignment with affiliate organizations.
ARA will continue emphasizing the competitive advantages of Recycled OEM automotive parts over aftermarket and new OEM alternatives, while also formalizing a national framework for the battery lifecycle. Specific goals will likely be featured during the upcoming Spring Hill Days event.
Pillar Three: Financial Sustainability and Growth
To ensure long-term stability, the Finance pillar focuses on diversifying the Association’s revenue streams, increasing transparency, and expanding philanthropic support for the Automotive Recycling Training Institute (ARTI). Central to this effort is raising awareness of ARTI as a 501(c)(3) organization and strengthening year-round fundraising efforts. Please be on the lookout for opportunities to support the critical work that ARTI does on behalf of the industry!
The Plan also prioritizes nonconventional revenue opportunities, expanded donor and sponsor engagement, grant development, and improved payment and donation pathways. By broadening non-dues revenue streams and leveraging existing assets, ARA aims to build a more robust financial foundation that supports its mission well into the future.
Pillar Four: Elevating Awareness Through Marketing
Marketing and awareness efforts designed to increase the credibility and influence of ARA, its members, and its certification programs—both within and beyond the industry—are at the forefront of this Pillar. Awareness was a major component of the previous Strategic Plan, which ultimately led to the formation of the ARA Awareness Committee, and it remains a priority for the Association leadership.
Member-driven storytelling will play a key role, alongside campaigns that highlight the industry’s environmental “green” story. ARA also plans to expand recognition and endorsements of its certification programs and develop marketing materials as a service offering to members. ARA tested this initiative with a Valentine’s Day offering of 5 social media posts for members to download and use, and it was a great success!
Pillar Five: Strategic Partnerships for Greater Impact
The final pillar focuses on strengthening ARA’s impact through meaningful partnerships with industry organizations, affiliates, vendors, consolidators, and government entities. By clearly defining collaboration goals, defining how those partnerships benefit ARA member businesses, and setting realistic expectations, ARA aims to ensure that partnerships deliver tangible benefits to members.
A Unified, Member Focused Vision
Taken together, ARA’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan presents a cohesive roadmap built on alignment, accountability, and member value. By integrating membership growth, advocacy leadership, financial sustainability, marketing visibility, and strategic partnerships, the Association is positioning itself—and its members—for a stronger, more influential future.
Making an Impact
Through this strategy, ARA aims to deliver clearer and more consistent value to members by improving the member journey, strengthening retention and growth, and ensuring members understand and benefit from ARA programs year round. “The
plan also prioritizes reinforcing ARA’s role as the trusted voice of the automotive recycling industry,” Edivan continues, “as well as increasing visibility and storytelling around our impact, diversifying revenue beyond dues, and deepening strategic partnerships that extend ARA’s influence and effectiveness through 2028.
New initiatives such as the ARA podcast directly support the strategy by increasing visibility, engagement, and non dues revenue. “The podcast helps position ARA as the voice of the industry by highlighting advocacy work, member stories, and industry leadership in an accessible format,” he shared. “At the same time, sponsorship opportunities tied to the podcast contribute to financial sustainability, while the content itself strengthens ongoing engagement with members and partners throughout the year.”
—Jessica Andrews is the Senior Director of Operations for the Automotive Recyclers Association.
