The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) announced that former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman Terry McAuliffe and Ed Gillespie, former senior counselor to President George W. Bush, will be featured on a political panel moderated by Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO, during the 2011 Aftermarket Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. The panel will provide Legislative Summit attendees with an insider perspective on current political topics, assess the mood of Capitol Hill and provide insight on how the current political environment impacts the automotive aftermarket. The panel will be held during the briefing session that is scheduled from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Monday, June 20.
McAuliffe is a lifelong Democratic Party activist and businessman from Virginia. From 2001 to 2005, he served as chairman for the DNC. Additionally, McAuliffe was chairman for President Clinton’s 1996 re-election campaign and Senator Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Gillespie is a Republican political strategist and former counselor to the president during the George W. Bush administration. He has worked in Republican politics since the early 1980s, working on several campaigns in addition to serving as a top aide for former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. In 2000, Gillespie founded one of Washington’s leading lobbying firms, Quinn Gillespie & Associates. Before joining the Bush administration, he served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2003-2004. In 2007, he joined the Bush White House as Counselor to the President. Currently, Gillespie serves as chairman of the Republican State Leadership Committee.
The Aftermarket Legislative Summit provides an opportunity for aftermarket professionals to come to Capitol Hill to meet with key congressional leaders and discuss issues that affect and impact their businesses. There is no registration fee to attend and AAIA staff will schedule meetings with attendees’ lawmakers.
Click here to register online for the 2011 Aftermarket Legislative Summit. For more information on the summit, contact Art Richey at 240-333-1028 or e-mail [email protected].
