Ottawa, Ontario — During Tuesday’s Automotive Industries of Canada (AIA Canada) Annual General Meeting (AGM), the organization announced the winners of its AIA Distinguished Service Award and Young Professionals in the Aftermarket (YPA) Young Leader of the Year Award, which went to Mauro Cifelli and Kathryn Jones, respectively.
The AIA Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding service and leadership, which contributes to the growth and development of Canada’s automotive aftermarket industry. It is the highest award presented by AIA Canada to an individual member.
This year’s recipient Mauro Cifelli serves as the president and CEO of Groupe Del Vasto, a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Cifelli joined the organization in 1994 and has held a variety of positions in the areas of information technology, sales, and customer service, and until 2018, served as Groupe Del Vasto’s vice president of sales and marketing.
Cifelli has also served as the chairman of AIA Canada at both the provincial and national levels.
The YPA Young Leader of the Year Award is presented annually on behalf of the YPA Committee to an outstanding young aftermarket professional for their dedication to the industry, leadership, and innovation.
Kathryn Jones is the fourth generation of her family to work in the Canadian automotive aftermarket. After graduating from Georgian College and Northwood University, she spent three years as an account manager at NOCO Lubricants before leaving to join Tenneco as a district sales manager in 2016. In 2020, she made the move to Dorman Products as a key account manager and took on the role of chairperson of AIA Canada’s Young Professionals in the Aftermarket Committee.
