
Category Management Summit
New Auto Care Association event dedicated for the promotion of and education towards the evolution of the category management within the automotive aftermarket industry.

Join the Auto Care Association for its first ever summit offering learning and collaboration opportunities specifically for the category management industry for the automotive aftermarket.
At this inaugural event, the goal is to educate and give professionals the resources and tools they need to be proactive and anticipate the business landscape, building a smarter and more resilient future for the entire automotive aftermarket industry.
If you play a role in deciding which products are sold, how they’re priced, or how they perform, this summit is for you.
The Auto Care Association’s Category Management Summit is built for:
Whether you're optimizing inventory, growing market share, or navigating an increasingly data-driven, omnichannel aftermarket, you’ll walk away with practical insights and strategies to make smarter, more profitable decisions.
The Auto Care Association is excited to bring together premier thought leaders across the aftermarket to elevate the importance of data and category management and share best practices from in and outside of the industry in this new cross-functional summit
Behzad Rassuli, Senior Vice President, Strategic Development for the Auto Care Association
Hyatt Regency Dulles
2300 Dulles Corner Blvd, Herndon, VA 20171
Auto Care discounted rate now sold out. Reserve directly with Hyatt Regency Dulles here.
Additional area hotels (distance from Hyatt Regency Dulles):
Hyatt Place Dulles Airport East - 0.3 miles
Courtyard Marriott Dulles Airport - 0.3 miles
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Hotel & Travel
Area Airports (distance to Hyatt Regency Dulles)
- Dulles International Airport - IAD (4 miles)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National - DCA (27 miles)
- Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport - BWI (56 miles)
Shuttle from IAD
Hyatt Regency Dulles offers a complimentary airport shuttle on a set schedule from Washington Dulles International (IAD) Airport and is a short distance to metro train with convenient access to downtown Washington, D.C.
Detailed agenda coming soon
Monday, June 15
3pm – 5pm Learning Session & Networking
Tuesday, June 16
8am – 3pm Learning & Collaboration Sessions
Registration
$495
$695
Register two paying attendees and the third attendee receives a 50% discount. Discount code will be sent after the first two registrations
Register NowDeveloping Agenda
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3:00 PM – 3:15 PMCategory Management Summit Welcome
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3:15 PM – 3:30 PMUnpacking Category Management in the Automotive Aftermarket
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3:30 PM – 4:15 PMPanel Discussion: Unpacking Category Management in the Automotive Aftermarket
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4:15 PM – 5:00 PMAdversity & Opportunity: Macro Trends Impacting Consumer Spending
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5:00 PM – 6:00 PMNetworking Reception
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7:00 AM – 8:00 AMSummit Breakfast
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8:00 AM – 9:00 AM[Panel] Fresh Eyes on the Aftermarket: Perspectives from Outside to Inside
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9:15 AM – 10:00 AM[Breakout Session] AI, Analytics, and Finding the Right Story
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9:15 AM – 10:00 AM[Breakout Session] Driving Consistency and Speed in DemandIndex Categories Through Data Standards
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10:15 AM – 11:00 AM[Breakout Session] Behind the Counter – Category Management for Application Specific Products
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10:15 AM – 11:00 AM[Breakout Session] Using Data Sources to Drive Category Management Success
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11:15 AM – 11:45 AMGeneral Session [Details Coming Soon]
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11:45 AM – 1:00 PMSummit Lunch
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1:00 PM – 1:25 PMRepair Shop Buying Behavior and Dynamics of Brand Affinity
Speaker(s): -
1:25 PM – 2:10 PMThe Power of Testing in Category Management
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2:10 PM – 2:50 PMUnder the Hood: AI Strategies Driving Real Aftermarket Results
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2:50 PM – 3:00 PMSummit Wrap Up Remarks
Featured Speakers
Dont miss your opportunity to participate!
Applications to join the Category Management Comittee wil re-open September 2026.
See Committee MembersCategory Management Committee
The Auto Care Category Management Committee works to develop category hierarchies, best practices, education and implementation plans for Category Management in an effort to improve business operations and customer satisfaction.

