Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> July 20, 1998
MARTIN CHEVALIER has been in the automotive aftermarket for over 35
years. He began his career at B&M Automotive Distributors in 1963. In
1970, he started his own warehouse distributor business known as C&G
Sales in Hyattsville, Maryland. C&G Sales grew from one distribution
center to an operation that consisted of 4 distribution centers and 43
retail and wholesale automotive parts jobbing stores. Mr. Chevalier
purchased certain assets from Safeguard Automotive, a division of
Safeguard Industries in 1980. These assets were used to form Quality
Automotive Company which in 1980 had sales of approximately $4 million.
The Company grew under Mr. Chevalier's leadership and became recognized
as a leader in the automotive aftermarket for supplying private label
brake shoes and disc pads. In 1997, Quality Automotive was combined with
a publicly traded company to form U.S. Automotive Manufacturing, Inc.
(NASDAQ:USAM). Mr. Chevalier is President and CEO of the combined
operation. Mr. Chevalier and the Company are actively involved in
aftermarket trade associations; APAA, APRA, ASIA, AWDA, VAWA, CAWA,
F.M.S.I. and Brake Manufacturer's Council. Mr. Chevalier has served as a
Director of F.M.S.I. since 1993. Profile
you anticipate in your sector of this market over the next 12 months?
Mr. Chevalier: During the last 10 years, the
