This month, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a real pro. His name is Thomas Taylor. Taylor, a 41-year automotive industry veteran, has been named the 2012 Counter Professional of the Year, sponsored by Affinia, WIX and Raybestos chassis.
As longtime readers of Counterman magazine know, each year we seek nominations for the best of the best of automotive aftermarket parts pros. Taylor, who was nominated by his colleagues at Motown Automotive of Michigan, a Federated Auto Parts member, is traveling with his wife to AAPEX in Las Vegas for an all-expenses paid trip.
For his nomination, his colleagues wrote, “His customers trust him as a parts authority. When they call him looking for a part, any part, they know that Tom will exhaust all possibilities in an effort to help them identify the part they need and then meet his commitment to them … Tom’s customers know he is dependable because of his experience, work ethic, charming personality and commitment to stand behind all of his parts and services. That he will do whatever it takes. His store always sells parts and supplies that other stores do not because his customers rely upon him to stock the parts that other stores are not able to or are unwilling to search out. He has consistently been able to grow sales at every location where he has worked and generate sales that his store would not otherwise enjoy.”
Congratulations, Tom. This is an honor that is well-deserved.
A new look
You’re going to notice something different about Counterman this month. It looks a bit different. We re-designed the magazine and freshened its look. Since its arrival in the aftermarket way back in 1983, the magazine has gone through several changes to the way it looks. Magazines do it all the time. However, instead of just some cosmetic changes, we’re making other changes as well. You’ll notice that for the most part, articles will be shorter.
For articles on parts and products, either selling them or how technicians install them, we’ve boiled down the information to only what you need to know. We value your time and want you to get the most out of the magazine.
One big change is the replacement of the script Counterman logo on the cover. This wasn’t an easy decision. A lot of love and thought went into designing that logo in the early 80s, during a time when orders were still written up by hand. The logo emulated those times. But things change and so, too, has the logo.
If there’s something you don’t like or something you think we can do differently, please, drop me a line at
mphillips [at] babcox.com.
