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.
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 NowAgenda
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3:00 PM – 3:15 PMCategory Management Summit Welcome
Speaker(s): -
3:15 PM – 3:30 PMUnpacking Category Management in the Automotive Aftermarket
Speaker(s): -
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
Speaker(s): -
9:00 AM – 9:15 AMTransition to Breakout Sessions Round I
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9:15 AM – 10:00 AM[Breakout Session] AI, Analytics, and Finding the Right Story
Speaker(s): -
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM[Breakout Session] Driving Consistency and Speed in Demand Index Categories Through Data Standards*
Speaker(s): -
10:00 AM – 10:15 AMTransition to Breakout Sessions Round II
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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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11:10 AM – 11:15 AMTransition Back to General Session
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11:15 AM – 11:45 AMIran Impact on Commodity Value Chains
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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
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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
David O’Neil
David has been a consultant and trainer to leading retailers and suppliers around the world since 1994. He specializes in helping organizations strengthen their analytical capabilities, leverage their invested resources, and uncover business insights that create competitive advantage.
He has facilitated category management implementation, organizational change initiatives, merchandising operating procedures, and business process design for many CPG/FMCG companies. David is also a highly regarded instructor known for helping salespeople, marketers, business analysts, buyers, and category managers improve their analytical thinking, storytelling with data, and business communication skills.
Before becoming a consultant, David played an instrumental role in developing the category management organization at James River, now Georgia-Pacific, where he became National Manager of Category Management. Earlier in his career, he held roles in space management and sales.
David holds an MBA in Marketing from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Bryant University.
- Category Management Summit
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Category Managment Summit Speaker Companies
You’ll hear insights from leading companies shaping the future of the industry, with additional speakers and organizations being added as the summit lineup continues to grow. Confirmed companies presenting include:
Scroll to see all
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.
