Keynote Speaker: Shannon Nordstrom, Nordstrom's Automotive

Shannon is Vice President and General Manager of Nordstrom’s Automotive, Inc. in Garretson, South Dakota, where he is responsible for purchasing, inventory control, training, and leading 73 employees. Shannon joined the family business full-time in 1988 after a short stint in technical school for telecommunications. At the time he returned to the business full-time, the company employed fewer than 10 employees and was transitioning from repairable vehicle sales as the core business to the recycled auto parts business. Shannon is the current President of ARA. 

 Nordstrom’s has since grown into numerous divisions, including Auto Recycling with Green Recycled Used, OEM surplus, Remanufactured and new alternative parts, Ewe Pullet Self Service, Nordstrom’s Repairables, and an installation and diagnostic service center. The Nordstrom family has relied on faith, employee involvement, and technology to grow their rural South Dakota business to levels they could have never imagined.

For the past 31 years, Shannon has hosted the syndicated radio show, “Under the Hood,” which is broadcast on more than 100 stations and has podcast downloads around 100,000 per week and growing. He is currently chair of ARA’s Certified Auto Recyclers Committee and a member of the Gold Seal and e-Commerce committees. Shannon is a founding member of the VRG and VRG Automotive LLC. He was named Man of the Year in 2007 and 2011 by Locator magazine and a member of its 25 Most Influential Auto Recyclers list. Shannon is involved with lobbying efforts for the trade association on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. each year and has regular visits with Senators and Representatives on a national and state level. Shannon is the president of the South Dakota Motor Vehicle Recyclers Association. Shannon is also a member of the advisory board for the Automotive Technology program at the Southeast Technical Institute.

Jer Banta, Profit Team Consulting

Jer began his career at Grand Central Auto Parts in 1993 as a delivery driver. He swiftly ascended through the ranks, moving up quickly to become a Salesperson, Sales Manager, and General Manager at Greenleaf Auto Parts. His tenure with both privately held companies and the Consolidator provided him with a holistic view of business operations, shaping him into the versatile leader he is today. 

In 2015, Jer embarked on a pivotal role at Bessler Auto Parts, spearheading the development of a new facility in Northeast Ohio. Under his guidance, the facility blossomed from a modest office to a fully-fledged dismantling facility within two years. His adept leadership skills were pivotal in galvanizing the salesforce across all Bessler locations, setting the stage for the company's acquisition by RTP in 2023. 

Jer's commitment to fostering growth extends beyond business operations; he is deeply passionate about cultivating people and culture. Emphasizing clear expectations and aligning team efforts with organizational goals, Jer champions a culture of empowerment and education. To augment his leadership acumen, Jer pursued advanced training, including a Business Communication and Culture Course at UC, leadership programs with The Profit Team and Southwest Consulting, and active participation in the Vistage leadership group for over two years. 

Jer's direct industry experience, nuanced understanding of key performance indicators, and unwavering dedication to business growth serve as the cornerstone of his approach. His appointment at PTC signifies not just a career milestone but a testament to his relentless pursuit of excellence in an ever-evolving industry. 

Since becoming an industry consultant with PTC, Jer has worked with more than 30 different auto recyclers and their management teams to improve facility performance and has been a part of training hundreds of salespeople across the US, Canada, and Australia. 

Michael Miskey, Butler's Auto Recycling

Mike Misky has over 20 years of experience in the automotive recycling industry, with hands-on experience in sales, eCommerce growth, operations, and leadership. He has helped grow online parts sales from a small channel into a major part of the business while improving packaging, shipping workflows, and freight cost management along the way. Mike has been involved in implementing EOS principles within salvage operations to improve accountability and team alignment. His background also includes warehouse optimization, using Domo reporting to support smarter decisions, and developing recruiting, retention, and performance-based pay programs. He enjoys building practical, scalable processes that help both employees and operations succeed.

Bret Buike, National Reinsurance

Bret is a lifelong car dealer by trade!  His family owned dealership in Ohio and Pennsylvania taught him a lot about the car business, managing people and how to operate at a high level without sacrificing having a life.   After selling their 7 locations in 2016 he entered the next chapter of his life.  Working with other dealers, managing, mentoring and consulting for people all over the US.  Finally landing at Buckeye Dealership Consulting, Buckeye Risk and National Reinsurance where his companies unique approach to reinsurance, warranty programs and client engagement has earned him title of industry expert in automotive, auto recycling and the home services industry.  

 National Reinsurance specializes in forming and managing reinsurance companies that let you keep underwriting profits, control claims, and build long-term financial strength.  Our mission is to help you Turn Risk Into Reward by empowering you to maximize your existing warranty and extended warranty programs to better protect your customers and your business, while  generating lasting value and trust — without relying on traditional insurance models.

James Spears

Jimmy is the Head of Automotive and Property for Tractable, which develops artificial intelligence for accident and disaster recovery. Growing exponentially across 14 countries, the solution has processed more that $3B in auto accidents and accelerated recovery for over a million households, equipping 31+ of the top 100 global insurers.

Prior to Tractable, he led the USAA Auto Experience and the USAA Global Auto Physical Damage operations and strategy. Before that, he led the Strategic Initiatives team at Farmers Insurance and served on staff at Nationwide Insurance.

Jimmy currently serves as Chair of the Future Disruptions Committee for the Collision Industry Conference, and Chair of the Artificial Intelligence Committee for CIECA, and served 7 years as an Advisory Board Member for Towing and Storage for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Member of the Board of Trustees for the Collision Repair Education Foundation, and as a Mentor for the military veterans served by the Disabled American Veterans Patriot Boot Camp.

Jimmy served 13 years in the US Army and is a combat veteran of Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He was the Distinguished Military Graduate of the JFK School of Special Warfare at Fort Bragg, NC, Graduate of the US Armor Officers School at Ft. Knox, KY, and Graduate of the Infantry School, at Ft. Benning, GA.  

Michael Miskey

Mike Misky has over 20 years of experience in the automotive recycling industry, with hands-on experience in sales, eCommerce growth, operations, and leadership. He has helped grow online parts sales from a small channel into a major part of the business while improving packaging, shipping workflows, and freight cost management along the way. Mike has been involved in implementing EOS principles within salvage operations to improve accountability and team alignment.

His background also includes warehouse optimization, using Domo reporting to support smarter decisions, and developing recruiting, retention, and performance-based pay programs. He enjoys building practical, scalable processes that help both employees and operations succeed.

Natalie Miller

Natalie Miller is a third-generation auto recycler and co-owner of Miller's Auto Recycling, which was founded in 1952 in Fort Erie, Ontario. Miller’s Auto Recycling is a late-model  full-service auto recycling facility located on approximately 35 acres. The organization operates with a team of 95 employees that foster the spirit of family and cohesiveness.

Alongside her cousin Chris, Natalie continues the family legacy of innovation and excellence in the industry. After a successful career as a physician's assistant in Buffalo, Natalie joined the family business in September 2009. Since then, she has played a pivotal role in modernizing operations and driving the company's continued growth.

Natalie served as a director on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Auto Recyclers Associations (OARA) for eightyears, as well as the Canadian Representative on the Board of Directors for the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) for the past four years. She currently chairs the Educational Planning Committee for the Annual ARA Convention. Natalie strongly believes the auto recycling industry is a true example of cooperation and collaboration between recyclers, vendors, and related industries.

Theresa Colbert, Car-Part.com

Theresa was the Sales Training Specialist at Car-Part and is now an Ambassador at Car-Part, working sa a sales trainer to help customers find the correct products and use them properly. Shealso held positions at Nu-Parts Automotive Products from 2000-10. 

Theresa Colbert is the also Owner at Recycled OE Parts based in Richland, Missouri. A long-time industry speaker, ARA named her Member of the Year in 2022 n recognition for her contributions to the professional automotive recycling industry. 

Gary Lindros, Jr.

Gary is Vice President of ABCAR (Ace Pick-A-Part) in Jacksonville and a Past President of FADRA after serving from 2018-21. He is currently Ice President and Convention Committee Chair for FADRA. Gary has been involved in the car industry for most of his life. Gary was first exposed to the automobile world while spending time at his family’s used car lots washing and detailing cars. He later spent summers helping out at the family’s transmission shops. After graduating from Rutgers University and several years working in both the paper and telecommunications industries, Gary returned to the car business. He started working for Ace Pick A Part in 1998 as a cashier and inventory clerk. He is now in charge of daily operations at Ace’s 30-acre self-service facility.

Gary joined the FADRA Board of Directors in 2013 and in 2021 started serving on the Government Affairs Committee of ARA.

Rob Harlan

Rob began his career with LKQ in 2005 as a Sales Manager. He moved to Los Angeles and left the industry for two years before returning in 2014 to LKQ as Regional Sales Manager in New England, where he oversaw regional sales, managing a team of more than 300 sales professionals in multiple locations. He then became Regional Sales Manager for the North Atlantic Region from 2016-2020. 

Rob moved to Chicago just after the start of the COVID pandemic, serving as a Plant Manager and then District Manager for five years, leading operations and sales for 17 LKQ locations and managing more than $110 million in annual revenue. Rob was promoted to District Manager of the Midwest and Southeast in late 2023, where he acheived the top EBITDA position on and earned the Elite Travel Presidents Club recognition. Finally, in October 2025 he joined Pick Your Part in Nashville as ice President of Operations.