The Aftermarket Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), a community of the Auto Care Association, presented its 2026 Outstanding Leadership Award in Honor of Jack Creamer to Richard and Lisa Beirne of Auto Parts Headquarters.  The award was presented on November 1st at AWDA’s 2026 Annual Conference in Las Vegas. 

Each year, AWDA bestows this prestigious award, formerly known as the “Leader of the Year,” on an aftermarket professional who has contributed to the industry in a unique and significant way.  The award is named in honor of former AWDA President Jack Creamer.   

Presenting the award this year was 2025 recipient Don Bickle, former AWDA Treasurer.  

Some leaders leave a lasting impact through the companies they build.  Others transform an entire industry through service, vision, and an unwavering commitment to the people who make it thrive.  Richard and Lisa Beirne did both. Throughout their lives and careers, they have dedicated themselves not only to strengthening businesses and organizations, but also to supporting the individuals who work in and aspire to join the automotive aftermarket, including automotive, heavy-duty, agricultural, off-highway, collision, and tool and equipment segments. 

Richard’s remarkable aftermarket career spans nearly six decades, beginning in 1968 as a delivery driver and culminating in leadership roles that have shaped some of the industry’s most respected organizations.  With Lisa’s steadfast partnership throughout that journey, Richard led United Auto Supply as President and CEO and guided its successful partnership with Automotive Parts Headquarters (APH), consistently demonstrating leadership rooted in integrity, collaboration, and long-term vision.  Together, Richard and Lisa built their careers by valuing employees, customers, and supplier partners, understanding that the strength of the aftermarket is built through relationships, trust, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. 

Today, as Senior Advisor for Automotive Parts Headquarters, Richard remains a trusted strategist and mentor whose experience continues to influence one of the industry’s premier distributors, while he and Lisa continue to invest their time, leadership, and passion in advancing the automotive aftermarket.  Their involvement with APH extends far beyond leadership titles.  Richard and Lisa have remained actively engaged in the organization’s growth and mission, including supporting APH and Auto Value expansion efforts throughout the Midwest.  During store conversions and integration projects that sometimes required months of work in different communities, they provided hands-on leadership and personal support, demonstrating the same dedication to people and relationships that has defined their careers. 

Richard’s commitment has always extended well beyond his own organization. Through decades of service to AWDA—as Board Member, Treasurer, Chairman, Treasurer Emeritus, and Lifetime Board Member—he helped lead one of the association’s defining milestones: the merger with the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, strengthening AWDA and expanding opportunities for warehouse distributors across North America. 

Lisa has been beside Richard throughout that journey, sharing his dedication to the industry and supporting the causes that have shaped its future. Together, they have consistently shown up for the aftermarket community, including participation in Auto Care Association Leadership Meetings and advocacy efforts such as the annual marches on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where they have helped champion issues critical to the industry’s success. Those extraordinary contributions were recognized in 2021 when Richard received the Martin Fromm Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring his enduring leadership and service to the automotive aftermarket. 

What makes Richard and Lisa especially deserving of the Jack Creamer Outstanding Leadership Award, however, is not simply the legacy they built—but the way they have chosen to build upon it. 

Many leaders spend a lifetime earning the industry’s highest honors.  Richard and Lisa chose a different path. Rather than slowing down after decades of achievement, they have continued to dedicate their time and energy to developing the next generation of aftermarket professionals. 

Richard serves on the University of the Aftermarket Foundation Board of Trustees, helping guide one of the industry’s most important organizations dedicated to education, workforce development, and attracting new talent to the automotive aftermarket.  He has also served as a University of the Aftermarket scholarship reader and has been an active member of the Foundation Contributions Committee since Richard and Lisa became Lifetime Trustees.  Through these roles, he has helped identify and support future aftermarket professionals while advancing the Foundation’s mission.  Together, Richard and Lisa have transformed their appreciation for the industry into a lasting investment in its future. 

In 2019, they were recognized as Lifetime Trustees, a designation reserved for individuals whose cumulative gifts of $100,000 to $249,999 advance the Foundation’s mission of providing scholarships and educational opportunities to the next generation of industry leaders.  Their dedication continued to grow, and in 2025 they became the first individuals ever named Gold Lifetime Trustees, recognizing cumulative contributions exceeding $250,000 and their extraordinary, sustained investment in securing the future of the automotive aftermarket.  Their legacy is measured not simply by the generosity of their giving, but by the opportunities they have created for students, professionals, and future leaders to build careers within the industry they have served for decades. 

Their dedication to the aftermarket extends beyond education and into active advocacy for the industry’s future.  Richard and Lisa have consistently championed Right to Repair initiatives, lending their voices and personal resources to help protect consumer choice and the independence of the automotive aftermarket.  Through ongoing support of the Automotive Care Political Action Committee (ACPAC), participation in awareness campaigns, and personal advocacy—including amplifying Right to Repair efforts through their own social media platforms—they have demonstrated that leadership means standing up for the issues that matter most.  Their commitment extends beyond their company’s involvement; they have personally invested their time, influence, and resources to help ensure a strong and vibrant aftermarket for generations to come. 

Whether through education, advocacy, or mentorship, Richard and Lisa have demonstrated that true leadership is measured by the opportunities created for others.  Through volunteer service, personal example, and a willingness to invest in those around them, they have inspired others to support the industry’s continued growth.  They understand that the aftermarket’s greatest asset is its people, and they have dedicated themselves to helping those individuals succeed. 

What distinguishes Richard and Lisa is not simply the remarkable careers they have built, but the example they continue to set.  Even after decades of leadership and recognition, they remain guided by the belief that success carries with it a responsibility to serve others.  Their influence can be seen not only in stronger companies and organizations, but also in the students, young professionals, and future leaders whose careers have been shaped by their generosity, mentorship, and unwavering dedication. 

Perhaps the greatest measure of Richard and Lisa’s leadership is the personal impact they have had on the people around them.  Across the aftermarket, they are viewed not only as respected industry leaders, but as mentors and advocates—true “aftermarket parents” to many current and future professionals.  They have encouraged careers, supported individuals throughout their journeys, and created opportunities for others to find success in an industry they believe in deeply. 

The Jack Creamer Outstanding Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose contributions rise far above the responsibilities of their daily roles and whose commitment leaves a lasting mark on the automotive aftermarket. Richard and Lisa Beirne embody those ideals.  Together, they have strengthened businesses, advanced industry organizations, championed education, and invested in future generations.  Their leadership has never been defined solely by what they achieved, but by the opportunities they created for others to succeed. 

For their extraordinary leadership, enduring service, and unwavering commitment to the future of the automotive aftermarket, Richard and Lisa Beirne are exceptionally deserving of the AWDA Outstanding Leadership Award in Honor of Jack Creamer.