PEOPLE OF THE INDUSTRY


his auto recycling business, Baker Auto Parts, that he bought from his father right after college, and did that for 30 years. With a degree in education, Barb worked as a teacher for a year before her first son was born, and then was content to be a mom. “I did things in the community, and was busy, but I never worked in the business until my sons were in college.” At that time, Kent needed help at the business man- aging all the pressures, and Barb did what she could to help out. They encouraged their sons to do what they loved, and ultimately after college none wanted to go into the family auto recycling business, so they sold it. “Kent was very active in the ARM as a recycler. The ex- ecutive director was retiring, so he was asked to take that role. I joined him there, monitoring the voice cir- cuit that was popular in the industry at the time.”


Then Suddenly ...


At an ARM event in 1995, Kent, then 57, had a medical emergency, “We thought he had the flu,” says Barb, “but he needed a heart micro-value re- placed and the procedure didn’t work. At that time they didn’t know what they know now. It was quite a month. Kent died on Oct. 1, his burial was Oct. 4, my son had his first child on Oct. 6 and my oldest son got married on Oct. 14.”


Not sure she could endure, her mother and others continually reassured she could. Her priest said, “Don’t waste your energy on the whys, you will never know the answer.” Advice she encourages others to follow. “The love of people got me through,” says Barb. “When Kent was in surgery, there were 30-40 auto re- cyclers in the waiting room to support me. When my son got married, he walked me up the isle, but I wasn’t sure I could get back down by myself after the service. At the rehearsal, my new daughter-in-law’s father put an arm out for his wife, and then one out for me and we all walked out together. It was a beautiful gesture.” “You learn to keep going. One of the ARM members, when I was still at home, called and said when he lost his wife that he learned the best thing you can do is to get back to people that love you. Stay busy,” says Barb. Soon after, the association offered Barb the executive direc- tor job, which she turned down. Instead she returned to her role as voice circuit monitor. “A year later, the new person they hired didn’t work out, so I took the job.”


R.D. Hopper commented in the award presentation, “To quote Skip Weller [owner of Weller Auto Parts in Michigan and an ARA Past President], ‘Barb’s husband was the back- bone of the ARM. When he passed away, we all thought that


42


would be the end of our state association. Barb did not let that happen. She picked up the torch and made our state association bigger and closer than ever. Barb is a classy, hardworking, caring, Christian lady and she loves this industry.’ I couldn’t say it any better and that is the reason I chose Barb to be the President’s Award recipi- ent for my term.” “I know I don’t have the answers for everything, but I surround myself with great people and I can find the answers for them,” says Barb. “Right now, some resist change. But, it’s almost as if we have come full circle. History has a way a way of repeating itself.” “In a way I miss the voice circuit days. It was recy-


cler-to-recycler communication. They could talk on a daily basis; ask how is your business doing? Am I on the right path? What are you doing to sell parts? The inter- esting thing is the successful ones were always willing to share their ideas, and they still do that to this day.” Her secret to success is, “You put people first. I start each day with a prayer, and a commitment to make someone else happy along the way.”


In the end, her advice is simple. “Be resilient and ad- just. There isn’t anything you can’t do if you try. Contin- ue to surround yourself with positive people. Positivity is contagious.”


Chad Counselman Mission Tuesday F


“He told me,


‘I don’t want your money. I want you to go with me on a mission trip to Indonesia.’ I thought he was crazy.” – Chad Counselman


ulfilling your purpose sometimes requires balanc- ing life and work. In the life of Chad Counselman, who knew that this would also be good for business? Chad, the owner of Counselman Automotive Recy- cling, LLC in Mobile Alabama, is a successful automo- tive recycler, a member of the ARA Executive Commit- tee serving this year as Second Vice President/Treasurer, and he is an active member of Redemption Church. Always one to take risks and challenge status quo, he pushes his leadership team and staff – that consists of 65 employees processing 2,600 cars a year – to chal- lenge his big ideas. “I am the type person that always has the wild ideas. John McWilliams, my righthand man, tends to be more of a pessimist, where I am complete optimist. I know he will shoot down my balloons, which really gives me more audacious cour- age to go with bigger balloons. He keeps me from crazy ideas.” John provides the balance as Chad pushes the envelope on his ever-changing business, whether


July-August 2018 • AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING


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