Automotive Leader of the Year
| Rollie Olson, Parts Depot, Inc. is presented with the 2010 Automotive Leader of the Year Award by E. Fletcher Lord, Jr., Replacement Parts, Inc. |
Rollie Olson Selected as AWDA’s 2010 Leader of the Year
Rollance E. Olson, CEO of Parts Depot, Inc. in Roanoke, Virginia. has been named the 2010 recipient of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) Leader of the Year Award. Each year, AWDA bestows this prestigious award on an aftermarket professional who has contributed to the industry in a unique and significant way.
A veteran of nearly 40 years in the aftermarket, Olson has spent time on both the manufacturing and distribution sides of the business. Over the years, many familiar companies and brands have appeared on Olson’s resume, including Honeywell, Bendix, Fram and Raybestos.
In 1986 Olson acquired Parts Depot Inc. from the Stapleton family. Over a 25 year period, Parts Depot grew from three warehouses to - at its peak - a company serving 13 states and generating over $350 million in revenue.
Not content to sit on the industry’s sidelines, Olson committed himself to numerous volunteer positions within the aftermarket. He actively served on AWDA’s Board of Governors for 8 years, including a term as Chairman in the mid-90s.
Olson has served as chairman of All Pro/Bumper-to-Bumper and in 2000, he and Fred Bunting were co-chairs of the Alliance when the group was formed.
When presenting the Leader of the Year Award, last year’s winner, Fletcher Lord called his friend of 20 years, “An American original; a self-made man who through hard work, vision, leadership and force of personality rose to the top of his industry.” Added Lord, “Rollie is surely one of the most deserving people in our industry to receive this award.”
Previous Award Recipients
- 2010 Rollance E. Olson
- 2009 E. Fletcher Lord
- 2008 Robert F. Egan
- 2007 William D. Grote, III
- 2006 Dr. David Fry
- 2005 Timothy A. Lee, AAP
- 2004 John Washbish, AAP
- 2003 Richard Morgan, AAP
- 2002 Joe Owen
- 2001 Michael Cardone Jr.
- 2000 Jack Creamer, AAP
- 1999 Tom Gallagher
- 1998 N. Arthur Epstein, AAP
- 1997 Aaron Berkowitz
- 1996 Clay Buzzard, AAP
- 1995 David O'Reilly
- 1994 Nathaniel Sills/ Bernard Fife
- 1993 Robert H. Raff, MAAP
- 1992 Arthur E. Lottes III
- 1991 Larry McCurdy
- 1990 Martin Fromm, AAP
- 1989 O. Temple Sloan and
- C. Hamilton Sloan
- 1988 Peter R. Kornafel, MAAP
- 1987 Robert Sirotek, AAP
- 1986 Allen C. Richey
- 1985 Sen. John C. Danforth
- 1984 R. Jack Alexander Jr.
- 1983 Charles N. Gaskill, AAP
- 1982 Elliot Lehman, AAP
- 1981 Wilton Looney
- 1980 Mort Schwartz, AAP
- 1979 Robert Z. Friedman
- 1978 A.K. Hannum
- 1977 Basil J. Mezines
- 1976 Rene C. McPherson
- 1975 Richard C. Teasel
- 1974 John M. Yantis
- 1973 Frederick J. Mancheski, AAP
- 1972 Frank M. Norfleet
- 1971 Arthur Wolff
- 1970 E.N. "Ernie" Robinson
- 1969 Thomas S. Perry, AAP
- 1968 H.C. "Skip" Stivers
- 1967 Olin Ennis
- 1966 Edward Gammie
- 1965 C.M. Scates
- 1964 C.S. Rogers
- 1963 C.A. Benoit Jr.
- 1962 Harold T. Halfpenny
- 1961 Joe E. Bickel
- 1960 Ira Saks
- 1959 Victor L. Toft