Around the Industry: October 2025

PAMA Announces 2026–2027 Officers, Board of Directors

The Preventative Automotive Maintenance Association has announced its officers and board of directors for the 2026–2027 term in a recent press release.

The following operators, franchisees, and vendor partners will be serving as 2026–2027 PAMA Officers:

• President: Jason Lyon, Benny’s Car Wash & Oil Change
• Vice President: Jenn Bochnowski, Breeze Autocare
• Treasurer: Matt Callahan, FILPAC
• Secretary: Chris Dykes, Jiffy Lube International, Inc.
• Immediate Past President: Jennifer Slifka, Exxpress Lube

Serving as directors for the 2026-2027 year are the following:

• Doug Arnold, Service Champ – Vendor Director
• Justin Cialella, Victory Lane Quick Oil Change – Director
• Tyson Daniels, Threshold Automotive Service, a Franchise of Grease Monkey – Director
• Crystal Mathews, Solid Start / True Brand – Vendor Director
• April Maxey, Lucas Oil Center – Director
• Dan Wyse, Valvoline Inc. – Director

The 2026–2027 Board plans to focus on strengthening advocacy for the quick lube and automotive service sectors, expanding professional development opportunities for operators and staff, and enhancing consumer education on the importance of preventative maintenance.

 

Mo Khalid Named Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of Driven Brands

Driven Brands’ Board of Directors has named Mo Khalid as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Driven Brands, according to a recent press release.

“Mo is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of success,” said Danny Rivera, president and chief executive officer. “As president of Take 5, he helped grow the business to more than 1,200 locations as of June 28, and systemwide sales exceeding $1.5 billion on a trailing 12-month basis. He strengthened operations, built a highly capable team, and delivered results through analytical rigor and a disciplined focus on execution.

"In his new role, Mo will help drive that same operational rigor across all of Driven Brands.”

Khalid re-joined Driven Brands in 2023 as group president of the maintenance segment, which at the time included Take 5 Oil Change and Meineke. Prior to that, he served as chief operating officer of Meineke from 2016 to 2017.

From 2017 to 2023, Khalid held senior operating roles at Great Wolf Resorts, eventually serving as senior vice president of field operations. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Burger King, Deutsche Bank, and J.P. Morgan Chase.

 

RelaDyne Names Mike Cooper as Chief Commercial Officer

RelaDyne has named Mike Cooper as its newest chief commercial officer in a recent press release. Cooper joins the company with over 30 years of experience the automotive and retail sectors, and has filled his new role as of Aug. 26.

The company cited Cooper’s understanding of its customer needs and sales channels, in addition to a track record of enhancing customer relationships and strengthening operations, as factors for his addition to the team.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to RelaDyne as our chief commercial officer,” said Eric Royse, chief executive officer of RelaDyne. “Mike's proven ability to drive growth, strengthen customer relationships, and build high-performing teams aligns seamlessly with our mission to provide best-in-class products, services, and solutions. His extensive expertise in operations and field leadership will be invaluable to our continued success, and his strategic vision will help us further enhance the value we deliver to our customers and partners.”

 

Women in Auto Care Announces Event Lineup for AAPEX 2025 in Las Vegas

Women in Auto Care has announced the events it will be hosting on Nov. 5 at AAPEX in Las Vegas, in a recent press release.

For the first time this year, the Women in Auto Care Awards Ceremony will be held during the annual Women in Auto Care Breakfast, from 7 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at the Venetian Expo. 

The breakfast will feature the presentation of the Women in Auto Care Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements and contributions of women and allies across the automotive aftermarket. Tickets will be $60 per person, with VIP tables available.

Later that day, the Women in Auto Care and Their Allies Reception will be held, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Venetian Expo. No registration is required, as this event is open to all AAPEX attendees.

 

Illinois Grease Monkey Franchisee Rolls Out Electric Vehicle Services Across Stores

A Grease Monkey franchisee in Illinois is rolling out electric vehicle services across his four stores in the state, as shared with NOLN in a press release.

Phil Scatena, owner of four Grease Monkey locations in Illinois, has expanded his team’s services to include routine maintenance for Tesla and other electric vehicles. His store in Lisle, Illinois, is the first to offer EV maintenance, with the other three locations to follow soon.

While EVs require less maintenance than gas cars, they still have routine maintenance needs that Scatena will be offering at his stores. The business has cited Tesla’s recommendations, which include checking brake fluid every four years, servicing the A/C desiccant bag at the same interval, and replacing the cabin air filter every two years.

Additionally, the stores plan to focus on the additional wear that EV tires undergo with tire rotations every 6,000 miles, as well as annually lubricating brake calipers—especially in regions which use road salt.

As part of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, routine maintenance can be performed by any qualified shop without drivers having to worry about losing their warranty, as long as it's done to manufacturer standards. Scatena and his team have invested in manufacturer-level repair manuals, hands-on training, and specialized tools to properly service EVs.

 

ASE and Motor Age Launch Weekly Newsletter, 'ASE Certified Tech Edge'

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence has partnered with EndeavorB2B and its Motor Age publication to launch a weekly newsletter called "ASE Certified Tech Edge," as shared in a recent press release.

The first issue of the newsletter, a co-branded project between ASE and Motor Age, was scheduled for distribution on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

The newsletter content will include Motor Age technical articles and news, as well as videos with source content hosted on the Vehicle Service Pros and Motor Age YouTube channels. ASE will provide content that links back to the ASE website, and a new test question of the week will be featured in each newsletter.

 

Ford Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Oil Consumption in Coyote V8 Engines

Ford is currently facing a lawsuit alleging excessive oil consumption in F-150 pickup trucks with the 5.0L V8 Coyote engine, according to Ford Authority.

The suit, Bryan, et al., v. Ford Motor Company, revolves around 2018 to 2020 Ford F-150 pickups with Coyote V8 engines. It claims that the engines are defective and consume excessive amounts of oil, in addition to oil entering the combustion chamber, leaving carbon deposits behind and harming fuel efficiency. The suit also alleges that there is incorrect info in the owner’s manual about how much oil should be added and how often.

This is not the first lawsuit Ford has faced over its V8 Coyote engines, including one in Canada it’s currently trying to have dismissed. The company has denied such claims in the past, saying that it has a “minimum criterion for oil consumption for average retail customers based on laboratory/customer correlation” of 10,000 miles per quart (MPQ). 

 

Automotive Supplier Old World Industries Conducting $20M Expansion in Alabama

Automotive supplier Old World Industries has announced plans for a $20 million expansion in Prattville, Alabama, reports The Montgomery Advertiser.

Based in Northbrook, Illinois, the company serves the automotive aftermarket, offering brands such as PEAK automotive antifreeze and coolant and BlueDEF diesel exhaust fluid.

The expansion comes with a capital investment of over $20 million. OWI expects the project to allow for additional product lines and delivery options for the Southern market.

OWI CEO Warren Morrow said that the expansion will bring an emphasis on producing locally and following key market trends, with plans to grow its distribution footprint and packaging capabilities and offer more products that meet regional demands.

“This will allow us to serve customers with improved lead times and better distribution costs,” said Morrow.

 

Midas Named Among Franchise Business Review’s 75 Most Profitable Franchises

Midas was recently named on Franchise Business Review’s 75 Most Profitable Franchises list, according to a press release.

The franchise market research firm performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, with rankings of top franchises published semi-annually in its Guide to Today’s Top Franchises. This year, the company analyzed data from more than 35,000 franchise owners, representing 365 brands, who were surveyed on overall satisfaction with their brand and likelihood to recommend it to others. Other factors include the annual income of franchise owners and the minimum startup capital requirement.

Midas’ franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction in different areas of their franchise systems, including training and support, operations, franchisor-franchisee relations, and financial opportunity.

 

Survey: U.S. Drivers Putting Off Maintenance Over Financial Constraints

A recent national survey from FinanceBuzz shows that U.S. drivers are avoiding essential maintenance due to fear of costs, as shared by Motor Biscuit.

The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults found that 58% of drivers can’t handle an emergency repair bill of over $1,000. Over a quarter said they couldn't afford one over $500.

Unfortunately, this seems to be leading to drivers putting off essential maintenance. Nearly one in five drivers are driving on tires that need to be replaced, while 7% are driving with bad brakes. Additionally, almost four in 10 drivers said they let a dashboard warning sit for two weeks or more without taking action.

The reason behind this, for many, is cost related, with 42% saying the potential repair bill was the reason they had put off receiving essential maintenance. This has led to drivers having to pay even more for repairs they wouldn’t have otherwise needed, with two-fifths of respondents saying they received repairs that could have been avoided with maintenance.