NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
AAIA-37-09

For more information, contact:
Rich White, AAIA
301-654-6664, ext. 1030
E-mail: rich.white@aftermarket.org

Scott Luckett, AAIA
301-654-6664, ext. 1053
E-mail: scott.luckett@aftermarket.org

Virtual Aftermarket eForum™ to Highlight Social Media, Product Data
Management, eCommerce and Supply Collaboration

BETHESDA, MD – Aug. 11, 2009 – A dynamic lineup of speakers is in place for the first-ever Virtual Aftermarket eForum™ scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009. The eForum will be conducted completely on the Web through a virtual event portal powered by ON24, a leader in Webcasting and virtual events.

Jay Yanko, director, global data synchronization, Edgenet, will kick off the presentations at 10 a.m. with Multi-Enterprise Data Management in the Auto Aftermarket. He will illustrate that in today's economy, businesses cannot afford to miss opportunities to use product information to drive down costs, strengthen customer relations and sell more. Yanko's presentation will be followed by a live Q&A session.

Jonathan Ressler, social media expert, Brand Noise Reduction Laboratory, Inc., will present at 12 p.m., Demystifying Social Media – from a Strategic Marketing Perspective. A specialist in assisting clients capitalize on the power of guerilla, stealth and entertainment marketing and social media, Ressler will help attendees understand how brands can leverage social media to meet their objectives.

GCommerce Inc. president and CEO Steve Smith, will explain at 2 p.m. how automated purchasing over the Internet can transform your business and not break your pocketbook. Internet Data Exchange™: Pointing EDI in the Right Direction will cover a new approach to unlocking the ROI and business improvements that can be found in automating document exchange over the Internet.

Max Buchanan, director of sales, heavy duty and automotive, Datalliance, will wrap up the day with his 2 p.m. presentation, Collaborating to Optimize Your Inventory Results, where he will explore the risks and rewards of collaborative and vendor-managed practices. Buchanan will cite the ROI and business benefits realized by those who practice collaborative inventory planning.

These presentations are just part of the complete Virtual Aftermarket eForum™, which you can attend without leaving your home or office. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the full day will include these live presentations, discussions, networking and vendor trade show, combined with the entire program available on-demand for six months after the live event.

Registration is open exclusively online at www.aftermarketeforum.com, where visitors will find the agenda, speaker profiles and other information. The cost of registration is $95 after early-bird and association membership discounts, and attendees earn 0.4 CEU credits toward the AAP or MAAP from the University of the Aftermarket.

Vendors of technology products and services interested in being a virtual exhibitor in the eForum trade show component should e-mail Gina Lemon at gina.lemon@aftermarket.org.

The Virtual Aftermarket eForum™ is produced by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada and Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). All proceeds benefit the industry's "Be Car Care Aware" campaign. Activant and Autologue are gold sponsors for the 2009 eForum.

About AAIA
AAIA is a Bethesda, Md.-based association whose more than 23,000 member and affiliates manufacture, distribute and sell motor vehicle parts, accessories, service, tool, equipment, materials and supplies. Through its membership, AAIA represents more than 100,000 repair shops, parts stores and distribution outlets.

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