At the October 2025 gala in Toronto, the Aftermarket Guild formally inducted its second Hall-of-Fame class, honouring seven industry leaders whose careers span decades of innovation, leadership and service in the Canadian automotive aftermarket.

These new inductees reflect a broad geographic footprint, channel experience, and dedication to mentorship and heritage.

Al “A.J.” Blair

Albert (Al “A.J.”) Blair was born on December 1, 1914 and is recognised as one of the pioneers in the Canadian Automotive Aftermarket industry. His inclusion honours a career that laid foundational groundwork in distribution, service networks and supplier-jobber relationships in Canada.

Growing up, Albert displayed an entrepreneurial spirit. He honed his sales skills early, working as a paperboy.

He expanded his business by buying other routes and hiring workers. He sold bread from a truck helping his stepfather, before working for his future brother on law as a wagon jobber in the Dunnville, St. Catharines, and Welland areas.

In 1943, he started his own auto parts store, called Welland Automotive, which employed 24 people, including a large machine shop. It was wildly successful.

In 1946, Charlie Prefontaine, the founder of United Auto Parts approached Albert to sell his business. Albert accepted the offer as for him, which began Al Blair’s long tenure with UAP, culminating in his rise to president and vice-chair in 1970 and 1972 respectively. Among the impacts he had, was the introduction of the UAP Associate program, and the opening of the CAWL warehouse in Toronto, now the site of Mevotech head offices.

Albert J. Blair passed away at the age of 90 on May 9, 2004, leaving a significant legacy in the automotive industry.

Anthony (Tony) St. Amour

Tony St. Amour was born and raised in the Toronto and entered in to the automotive world by owning and operating a BP Service Station at Dufferin and St. Clair in Toronto. After selling his position with BP, an opportunity arose with BF Goodrich in Eastern Ontario. 

Other positions followed, but most of his legacy was connected to his work with Dayco which began in 1979 when his friend Don Bethune approached him for a Vice President’s role at Dayco Canada. 

Tony was a part of Dayco Canada/Mark IV Industries until 1994; moving to Purolator Filters as General Manager (Canada) until his informal retirement. Following this, Tony became a consultant for BESTBUY Distributors and National Sales Inc. until his formal retirement.

Tony was an active participant and industry advocate as a volunteer with both AIA Canada and AARO Ontario, and active within his parish in Milton, Ontario.

He passed away in 2011.

Don Skuce

Don Skuce grew up in Callander, Northern Ontario (on the southeast shores of Lake Nipissing). Most aftermarket veterans know Don for his long tenure with Modern Sales Co-Op, which he joined in 1992, and where he became president in 1995.

He was a well-liked, modest leader who brought valuable experience from his banking background to the aftermarket organization, helping it grow and flourish.

Under Don’s leadership, he empowered the employees, and the company grew quickly. In 2003, Modern Sales relocated to Barrie Ontario, its current home today.

He wasn’t afraid of surrounding himself with quality people that were “much smarter than he was,” and it was a telling sign of confidence in his own ability. One of his key hires was Reid Ferguson, today serving as president of the organization.

Don also stayed involved with AIA Canada, serving in a variety of roles at the committee level.

Don retired December 31, 2016 but sadly, the following year, Don’s health deteriorated and he passed away on October 23, 2017. 

Grant McPherson

Grant McPherson was born on March 12, 1930 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and was an established member of Canada’s “old guard,” spending decades helping to build the supply networks that we still use today as well as some of the key industry cornerstone events that continue to bring the aftermarket together.

Before his aftermarket career, Grant graduated from the University of Manitoba and made his mark as a player in the CFL, becoming a proud member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

After his football days, Grant began his professional career with Phillips Electronics in Winnipeg. He then took on a sales position with Midwest Diesel, also in his hometown. It seemed destiny had a plan for him in the automotive industry—his father William spent three decades as a regional manager for General Motors, and his uncle Jefferson (Jeff) Umphrey had a distinguished career at General Motors from 1920 to 1963, retiring as Vice President in Oshawa.

In 1969, Grant and Carol moved their family to Stratford, Ontario, where Grant accepted the position of National Sales Manager for Fram Canada. Aside from a brief two-year stint as Vice President of Sales for Dominion Auto, Grant dedicated the next 30 years to Fram Filters and Autolite Spark Plugs, eventually retiring as President of the company.

Grant spent his entire career in the automotive aftermarket industry. He was an active member of the AIA, Automotive Boosters, the oil industry’s TBA group, and was a founding member of Shad’s R&R for Muscular Dystrophy. Even after retirement, Grant’s commitment didn’t wane; he remained on Shad’s board and could be seen every year at the registration desk.

Grant’s contributions were widely recognized. He was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in Winnipeg after retiring from Fram. Additionally, he served on the board of directors for The Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, creating memorable experiences for customers and associates over a span of 45 years.

Grant passed away at the age of 88, December 31, 2018.

Robert (Bob) Greenwood

Bob Greenwood was born in Burlington, Ontario on November 26, 1949 and made his mark as among the first, and certainly most prolific business trainers and consultants in the Canada’s aftermarket (and beyond).

His first “real” job was with EK Williams based in Ottawa, an accounting, auditing and book keeping company. It was at EK Williams working with aftermarket companies that intrigued him to become involved in our industry.

Respected for his firm grasp of the managment at the shop level, he was also instrumental in helping distribution professionals assist their Automotive Service Provider customers succeed. Among is many contributions to the industry was that very Automotive Service Provider term, and the empasis on referring to technicians not “mechanics” or “installers.”

He was also closely identified with the phrase “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” a way of thinking that at one time was seen to be revolutionary but in today’s aftemarket seems obvious.

He spend four decades offering his business-management experience in the independent aftermarket sector, and his role as President & CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre (AAEC).

The legacy of his programs and teaching continue today.

AAEC content on Business Management and Technology is recognized today as part of the curriculum of the fixed operations diploma program and aftermarket degree courses at both the Automotive Business School of Canada at Georgian College, and the Automotive Management Institute at Colleyville, Texas. Parts of Bob’s syllabus is used at the Northwood Institute in Midland, Michigan, which earned him Honorary Degree status as an educator.

By 2021, over 225,000 students had taken one or more of Bob’s courses, and are still taught to this day.

He passed away suddenly in 2021, and was honoured in 2022 with AIA Canada’s highest honour, the Distinguished Service Award.

Richard “Rick” Miller

Rick Miller grew up in Windsor, Ontario; when he was fifteen the family relocated to Oakville and has made his mark in the engine rebuilding and machine shop sector.

In the mid 60’s Rick’s initiation into the aftermarket saw him start as a counterman for Central Canadian Auto Supplies in Oakville, only a few short years later joining wiht a co-worked to purchase Midland Cylinder Head, a machine shop business, located in Scarborough Ontario. It was here that Rick Miller honed his entrepreneurial skills and where his knowledge, respect and love for engine rebuilding really started.

Rick bought out his partner and became the sole owner and noted that his biggest competitor were setting the pace for price and product in the Canadian marketplace, consulted with other shop owners in a similar situation and, on the basis of what he heard from them and suppliers, founded E.R.I. Engine Rebuilders Inc. buying organization in 1982, solely with the intent to supply engine parts at competitive wholesale prices to machine shops across Canada. 

Today, based in Stouffville Ontario, ERI is now 43 years old and has Distribution Centers in Stouffville, Moncton, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver, housing the biggest engine parts brands in the rebuild business. ERI has grown to be one of the largest engine rebuilder organizations in North America.

He has worked with industry and government to advance the engine rebullding sector in Canada and the U.S., most notably working to help create the Motive Power Machinist Certification Program, now an indelible part of the North American training regimen.

Rick Miller currently serves as The ERI Group Chairman of the Board and has just recently completed his 61styear as an active participant in the Canadian Automotive Aftermarket.

Shirley Brown

Shirley Brown’s is indisputably the grand dame of Canada’s automotive aftemarket media. There have been very few events over the years where she has not been in attendance, and she continues to tell industry stories after more than 40 years.

Her legacy in Canada’s aftemarket dates back to before her publishign involvement when Shirley and husband Joe were avid car and racing enthusiasts and often seen at local tracks like Speedway Park, Flamborough and Cayuga. In the mid 70’s, they started Fairview Chrysler with a few partners until selling and Joe retiring in 1991.

With a background in radio, television and publication, along with a deep love of cars and racing, Shirley joined Wheel Spin News in 1978.

In 1981, Shirley started her own industry publication and the first edition of Aftermarket Canada hit the streets. Aftermarket Canada quickly earned the reputation as the go to source for all that was happening in the industry at the time. Running the publication remote from their home on Eagle Lake in South River ON, before selling the publication in 1992.

Shirley has continued her work in the industry–except for a six-week retirement–and has continued to be a respected and enthusiastic part of the Canada’s aftermarket.

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The 2025 class of the Aftermarket Guild Hall of Fame combines pioneers, regional leaders, distributors, educators and advocates. While the publicly posted bios are brief, they each embody a theme: sustained contribution, regional influence, channel diversity or thought leadership. For jobbers, suppliers and channel partners in the Canadian aftermarket, these inductees illustrate that career spans of significance extend beyond sales results—they encompass leadership, mentorship, network building and industry heritage. As the Guild moves forward, their examples stand as benchmarks for service, professionalism and long-term impact.