S.I.P.S., the Society of Import Parts Specialists, celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this month during the AAPEX and SEMA shows in Las Vegas.
A nationally recognized group focusing specifically on import specialists and their needs, S.I.P.S. was founded in 2000 with just 12 charter members, and in 10 years time has grown to nearly 30 members from across the country. The group became a member-owned corporation in the state of Nevada in 2007. Each member holds an equal amount of stock in the organization.
S.I.P.S. maintains a three-person board of directors with yearly rotating terms. The current board chairman is Dan Hahlbohm of Rising Sun Import Parts in San Diego, CA. Kenny Ho of Intex Auto Parts in San Jose, CA, and Jana Vermeer of Vermeer Auto Parts in Groveport, OH, complete the board.
Originally founded as a means to combine the purchasing strengths of the group’s initial members, today the S.I.P.S. mission focuses on communication and the development of strategies to secure and maintain stability in today’s automotive aftermarket.
Led by Gary Garberg, S.I.P.S. holds three meetings annually where confidentiality is maintained. According to Garberg, the members have discovered a unique formula for success at the meetings: because members vow to respect one another’s geographical trade area and privacy, there are no boundaries or limitations when it comes to topics of discussion. Membership in S.I.P.S. is limited to import specialists whose businesses do not geographically overlap with any other member of the group.
To learn more about S.I.P.S., visit the group’s website www.sipsteam.com.
