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Obituaries

Obituary: Fred Thul Of New Jersey-Based Thul Auto Parts

Frederick “Fred” Thul, who helped lead the growth of his father’s New Jersey-based auto parts business into three companies bearing the family name, died May 1 at the age of 88. His sons Jim, Larry, Nick and Rick run Thul Auto Parts, Thul Engine & Parts Warehouse and Thul Machine Works. He also is survived [...]



Obituary: Ken Miller, Former Brembo North America President

Former Brembo North America president Ken Miller, instrumental in establishing and building the Italian brake company’s presence in the United States, died of lung cancer on April 2.



Thomas Bauman, Hickok VP Of Marketing & Sales

Thomas Bauman, vice president of marketing and sales for Cleveland-based Hickok Inc., died March 1 after a three-year battle with lung cancer. Bauman, 66, had been with Hickok for more than a decade and was instrumental in boosting the nearly-century-old company’s presence in the automotive aftermarket.
A native of Cleveland, Bauman built his marketing reputation with [...]



John Simmons, SECO Equipment & AAM/Parts Pro Founder

The big industry picture and one-on-one daily business dealings both mattered to SECO Equipment Co. founder and SEMA Hall of Famer John Simmons, who died Feb. 14 at the age of 73. Simmons is survived by his wife of 55 years, Annie Marie Kilgore Simmons; and daughters Lynne Aldridge, Aline Jackson, and Anne Graves, president [...]



Dain Inman, Former Echlin Executive

Former Echlin executive Charles LaDaine Inman — known to most friends and associates simply as “Dain” during his years with the replacement part giant in the 1970s and ‘80s — died Feb. 13 in Phoenix after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 65, and is survived by his children, Brion, Kendra and Katey; his [...]



Dick Wells, SEMA Show Co-Founder

It’s easy enough to list a few of the milestones and legacy of Dick Wells, who died Jan. 18 at age 75: