Owner of Counselman Automotive Recycling receives ARA secretary nomination

The Manassas, Virginia-based Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) has announced its Nominating Committee has selected Chad Counselman, owner of Counselman Automotive Recycling LLC, Mobile, Alabama, as its nominee for secretary for 2016-2017.

Counselman brings years of experience to the association’s Executive Committee and his stewardship of two dismantling sites and four distribution sites brings a unique perspective to the board, ARA says. He is scheduled to be formerly confirmed by the ARA board of directors during the ARA Annual Convention and Exposition Oct. 26-29, 2016, in Baltimore.

Counselman grew up in an automotive recycling business founded by his grandfather James in 1966. He joined the company in 1993 and took over the business from his father, Ed, in 1996. With his brother James, they bought the company in 2008. Two years later, Counselman became active fighting for Alabama recyclers by helping to defeat legislation in the Alabama Senate that he says would have been harmful to the industry. Shortly after, he founded the Alabama Automotive Recyclers Association (AARA) in an effort to unite the industry and provide members with the tools needed to make their voices heard.

Currently, Counselman is president of AARA, has been a regional director for ARA and was an early member of RCD, a cooperative transportation network of 23 recyclers that meet regularly to swap parts between facilities in Leesburg and Tallahassee, Florida, and Birmingham, Alabama. He holds degrees in business management and accounting from the University of Mobile and is active in the Redemption Church in North Mobile, Alabama.

“ARA is excited to welcome Chad to the Executive Committee because of his excitement and strong belief in supporting the cooperation of independently owned automotive recycling companies at ARA’s level of excellence,” says Ricky Young, chairman of ARA Nominating Committee. “His innovative techniques and his willingness to constantly look for new ways to build growth for the industry will be a great benefit to ARA and its members.”

The ARA, founded in 1943, says it represents the interests of more than 4,500 auto recycling facilities in the United States and fourteen other countries around the world.