Art Fisher Award for Excellence in Education
Art Fisher Award for Excellence in Education
This annual award, presented in memory of former AWDA Chairman Art Fisher, recognizes a company or individual for their leadership and commitment to education and training, either within their own organization or throughout the industry. Winners will be drawn from traditional industry participants including jobbers, distributors, repair shops or manufacturers. Funds from the Art Fisher Scholarship program shall be presented in the name of the award winner(s) to two undergraduate students enrolled in the automotive aftermarket management program at Northwood University, Midland, MI. Award winners need not be AWDA members.
Application Deadline has passed
Application Deadline: Aug 15, 2025
Winners will be notified at the 2025 AWDA Conference.
2025 RECIPIENT: Babcox Media
- 2025 Babcox Media
- 2024 Larry Pavey
- 2023 Paul Louwers
- 2022 ASE
- 2021 John Passante
- 2020 Bobby Bassett, retired National Training Manager, Gates Corp
- 2019 The Group Training Academy
- 2018 Standard Motor Products
- 2017 NAPA/Genuine Parts
- 2016 Cliff Hovis
- 2015 Tim Sturdevant
- 2014 David Wesselman
- 2013 James A. Tennant, AAP
- 2012 Pete Kornafel
- 2011 Steve Hoellein
- 2010 John N. Castle
- 2009 Federal-Mogul Corp. Technical Education Center
- 2008 David Caracci
- 2007 Fred Bunting
- 2006 KYB America
- 2005 Larry Sills
- 2004 Richard Beirne and Ron Levene
- 2003 MEMA
- 2002 Art Fisher
- 2001 Ted Wise, AAP
- 2000 Chuck Udell, AAP
- 1999 Marc Gelfand, AAP
- 1998 Raymond Walker, AAP
- 1997 Louis A. Zuanich, AAP
- 1996 Tim Lee, AAP
- 1995 Annie Kornafel, AAP
- 1994 Bill Kuykendall, MAAP
- 1993 Gary Kremer, AAP
- 1993 Clay Buzzard, AAP
- 1992 Aaron Berkowitz
- 1991 N. Arthur Epstein, AAP*
- 1990 Kenneth D. Walker, AAP
- 1989 Robert H. Raff, MAAP
- 1988 Jay L. Love
- 1987 Raymond P. Peck
- 1986 Larry Anton
- 1985 Donald E. Edelmann
- 1984 C. Hamilton Sloan
- 1983 James L. Fine
- 1982 Frederic S. Kotcher
- 1981 Peter R. Kornafel, MAAP
- 1980 Robert L. Sirotek, AAP
- 1979 Emil G. Stanley*
- 1978 Richard B. Black
- 1977 O. Temple Sloan
- 1976 Charles N. Gaskill, AAP*
- 1975 Mort Schwartz, AAP
- 1974 Dunbar Abston Jr.
- 1973 Martin G. Brown
- 1972 Sam Nakis
- 1971 Herbert Lipton
- 1970 R. Jack Alexander Jr.
- 1969 S.G. Puryear
- 1968 Frank Norfleet
- 1967 Harry D. Rothman*
- 1966 Ran P. Hall
The AWDA Memorial Scholarship Award was preceded by the Ernest A. Tapp Memorial Award. The recipients of this award are:
- 1965 John M. Yantis
- 1964 Bernard Bock
- 1963 Paul Livoni
- 1962 A.P. Walter
- 1961 Jack F. Whitaker
- 1960 Thomas S. Perry, AAP
The Aftermarket Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), a community of the Auto Care Association, presented the 2025 Art Fisher Award for Excellence in Education, to Babcox Media, based in Akron, Ohio. The award was presented on November 2nd by AWDA Vice-Chair Fletcher Lord III at AWDA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
AWDA’s Art Fisher Award for Excellence in Education is presented annually to an aftermarket company or individual that demonstrates outstanding commitment to education and training, either within their organization or throughout the industry. Given in memory of former AWDA Chairman Art Fisher, the award grants scholarships in the name of the award winner to two students enrolled in the automotive aftermarket management program at Northwood University.
For over 100 years, Babcox Media has remained the leading source in providing education, training, and information on the automotive aftermarket as well as the people who are involved.
The evolution of Babcox Media from strictly a trade publication company to a full service multimedia empire focused on sharing training, news, and events with the industry was monumental. That transformation was guided under the premise to make information and education more accessible to everyone. They fill a need that the broadest of aftermarket audiences can gain valued insights from experts across the industry.
Bill Babcox is the third-generation owner and Chief Executive Officer of Babcox Media Inc., was on hand to accept the award. He has led the business since 1990, guiding its growth and evolution in the aftermarket industry.
A Denison University graduate, Bill began his career at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in 1984 as a retail sales manager and joined Babcox in 1985. He is active in the community and industry, having served on boards including Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Foundation, Akron General Medical Center, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Health Network Foundation, and the University of the Aftermarket Foundation.