Nov. 12, 2013—The Car Care Council Women’s Board recently announced its 10th annual Women of the Year awards. Paula Lombard, president of WEXCO Industries and founder of AutoTex Pink, was named the Aftermarket Woman of the Year, and Diane Larson, owner and manager of Larson’s Service Inc., was given the Female Service Shop Owner of the Year award.
Lombard has been active in the industry for more than 20 years, beginning her career by selling windshield wipers out of the trunk of her car. Since then, she has grown WEXCO Industries into one of the nation’s leading suppliers of windshield wiper blades and HD components.
AutoTex Pink, which Lombard started in 2009, donates 10 percent of sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) and the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.
Larson is a 25-year industry veteran, and has been the sole owner of Larson’s Service Inc. since 2008. She is a C1 service consultant, a member of the International Automotive Techncian Network (iATN), a partcipant in the Askpatty.com Automotive Expert Advisor Panel, and an active Automotive Service Association member.
The Woman of the Year is chosen based on her longevity in the aftermarket, her career accomplishments, her leadership capabilities and dedication to the automotive aftermarket industry.
Female Service Shop Owner of the Year is given to an outstanding woman that has a proven record of excellence in the automotive service industry. Both awards are administered by the Women’s Board Career Leadership Committee.
The announcement was made at the 2013 Women’s Board reception on Nov. 5 during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas.
