BETHESDA, Md. — Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council for the past 20-plus years, has decided to step down from that role.
Nathan Perrine, chief financial officer of the Auto Care Association (ACA), will assume the role of directing the non-profit, which oversees the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign.
This will be Mr. White's second retirement in the past few years. He retired in 2017 from his post as senior vice president of the ACA but continued to lead the CCC as a consultant.
During his tenure as the head of the CCC, Mr. White led the industrywide workgroup that developed the "Be Car Care Aware" campaign and spearheaded the development of the popular Car Care Guide.
Under his leadership, the CCC has received many awards for its work, including the Silver Anvil Award of Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America.
In January 2019, Mr. White established Car Care Council North America (CCCNA), a partnership with the Automotive Industries of Canada (AIA Canada), a trade association representing the Canadian automotive aftermarket supply and service chain, and ARIDRA, an association based in Mexico City representing manufacturers, representatives, importers and distributors of automotive parts and accessories in Mexico.
Today, the Car Care Council communicates car care information in English, French and Spanish.
"The Be Car Care Aware campaign originated as a member-driven initiative. Rich has been its steward for more than 20 years, elevating it from just an idea to where it is today," ACA President and CEO Bill Hanvey said.
"We have been fortunate to have Rich develop the campaign from its inception to numerous programs and partnerships. We greatly appreciate how far he has taken it."
The CCC's primary mission is to educate consumers about the benefits of regular vehicle maintenance, repair and care.
Funded and operated by the ACA, the council communicates to the motoring public through three main channels:
- through the media with a variety of public relations tactics;
- directly to vehicle owners through social media, partnerships, and special events held during National Car Care Month and throughout the year; and
- through the industry, including shops, stores and aftermarket organizations, by creating and providing educational content, marketing tools and resources to help them communicate with current and prospective customers.