Herb Lieberman of Laguna Beach, California, was presented with the Automotive Recyclers Association's (ARA) President's Award at ARA's 63rd Annual Convention and Exposition recently held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

A member of ARA for over 30 years, and a former president of the international automotive trade association, Lieberman chaired ARA's Salvage Solutions Committee which was tasked with finding solutions to the problem of diminishing salvage supplies in the industry.

He and his committee approached the issue with verve and energy, and were instrumental in introducing national legislation, presently pending before the United States Congress, that not only addresses the issue of disappearing salvage inventories for the automotive recycling industry but also addresses safety and economic concerns for the motoring public.

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) Retirement legislation is working its way through the legislative process. If adopted VIN Retirement legislation will protect motoring consumers from unscrupulous purveyors who rebuilding unsound, unsafe and stolen vehicles for resale and use on the country's motorways, as well as arrest selling flood damaged vehicles to unsuspecting motor vehicle purchasers.

By protecting the consuming public from such vehicles, the automotive recycling industry and recycling, in general, will secure greater quantities of inventory which, beside providing the materials to sustain their business, will also protect the environment by saving precious landfill space, raw materials and the fuel energy required to mine and manufacture parts and automobiles.

For his efforts, Lieberman was presented with the ARA President's Award at the industry association's closing banquet.

Introducing new officers

Gary Beagell, president of Gary's U-Pull-It, Inc., an automotive recycling facility in Binghamton, N.Y., has been installed as the 2006-2007 President of ARA. He most recently served as the association's 1st Vice President and has been on the ARA Executive Committee since 2004.

Beagell has been involved in the automotive recycling business since childhood when he and his brother worked at their father's facility in Binghamton. In 1979 he opened up his own facility next to his family's original auto salvage business. Gary has opened four other U-Pull-It facilities around the country in the intervening years.

Gary's U-Pull-It, Inc. is also a Certified Auto Recycler facility, and as such must adhere to strict standards regarding general business practices, environmental care and stewardship, safety and licensing and regulatory issues.

The 2006-2007 1st Vice President is New Mexico's Sandy Blalock, president of Truck & Auto Parts, Inc. of Albuquerque, an automotive recycling facility. Joining the ARA Executive Committee in 2005, Sandy is slated to assume the presidency of the international automotive trade association in 2007.

Blalock's business, Truck & Auto parts, Inc. is a Gold Seal and Certified Auto Recycler (CAR) program member.

Linda Pitman, Dulaney Auto and Truck Parts of Amarillo, Inc., an automotive recycling facility, has been elected to the 2nd Vice President position. Voted on to the international association's executive committee last year, Pitman is in line to assume the presidency in 2008.

Dulaney Auto and Trucks Parts of Amarillo, Inc. is a Certified Auto Recycler (CAR) program member.