Young professionals in the Auto care sector speed mentoring roundtable

Registration details

The complimentary event is exclusively for young professionals in the Canadian auto care sector. A young professional is defined as someone aged 45 years or younger.

Registration is divided into two priority groups:

Members of the Young Professionals in the Auto Care (YPA) Community
YPA members will have exclusive first access to registration until February 10, 2025.

Young professional attendees of the Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference (CAIC)
Young professionals that are non-YPA Community members must register for at least one day of Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference (CAIC) programming to be eligible to attend the YPA Speed Mentoring Roundtable.

Interested in joining the YPA Community? Apply now to gain access to events like this and more!

Space is limited, so register early to secure your spot!

Deadline to register:

Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 11:50 p.m. EDT

Registration fees for Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference (CAIC)

Young professional (under 45 years of age) – Single Day Admission: $247.50 CAD*

Young professional (under 45 years of age) – Two-Day Admission: $445.50 CAD*

*Plus applicable taxes

Buy a ticket

The Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference (CAIC) brings together the AIA Canada National Conference and CCIF Toronto for two-days of networking and learning about hot industry topics, trends, challenges, and the state of Canada’s auto care sector on March 19 and 20, 2025.

Registration guidelines

Select a CAIC Day: Choose the day(s) of CAIC programming you would like to attend.
Choose Your CAIC Ticket: Select either single-day or two-day admission to CAIC.
Add the YPA Speed Mentoring Roundtable Ticket: Before checking out, ensure you add the YPA Speed Mentoring Roundtable ticket to your registration.

Note: YPA Community members and currently registered young professional CAIC attendees can register directly for the YPA Speed Mentoring Roundtable event without selecting a CAIC ticket.

Be sure to complete your registration before March 11, 2025, at 11:50 p.m. ET.

Mentors

Women leadership mentor

Trista Anger, regional business manager – coatings, Western Canada, BASF

Joining the collision industry in 2004, Trista has spent the past 20 years focused in the Canadian consolidated market sector, working within both network and corporate organizational models. Her portfolios have included franchise growth/development, operational support, contract acquisition and negotiation, mediation, account management, and talent acquisition and training. Effectively striking the balance between property/casualty insurer and collision facility priorities has figure prominently in all her roles. In Trista’s current position as regional business manager for BASF’s Automotive Refinish division, she heads up the Western Canadian refinish team and provides multi-faceted business support to body shop clientele and industry stakeholders alike.

Trista has demonstrated commitment to the sustainability of the collision industry through her various volunteer committee and board appointments including, WIN (Women’s Industry Network), CCIF Steering Committee and its Education sub-committee, ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia) Express Repair Liaison Committee, and Mitchell Auto Physical Damage Customer Advisory Council.

Sales and distribution mentor

Ryan Baltjes, senior director merchandising operations, Uni-Select Inc.

Ryan Baltjes’ automotive career spans over 20 years, with experience in category management, product design, strategy, supply chain, and e-commerce. Currently, Ryan leads merchandising operations at Uni-Select Inc., overseeing e-commerce operations, supply chain, strategic pricing, and data management.

Previously, Ryan held leadership roles at eBay Motors and Walmart Canada Automotive and Service and has spent several years at Canadian Tire and Ford Motor Company. Ryan’s diverse expertise and experience in leadership roles have allowed him to deliver innovative solutions and operational excellence within the industry.

Entrepreneurship mentor

Emily Chung, automotive entrepreneur

Emily founded and operated AutoNiche, a family-friendly auto repair shop in Markham, for over 15 years. She is a licensed automotive service technician, and automotive writer with various publications. Emily is part-time faculty in the Automotive Business School of Canada at Georgian College and is currently completing her Executive MBA. She holds an honours Bachelor degree from the University of Waterloo in Psychology and Business, and her previous jobs include Psychometrist and Human Resources Associate. She has appeared on various media including Breakfast Television, Cityline, and most recently is the host of Amazon Live Auto. Emily also serves as board member of the Automotive Aftermarket Retailers of Ontario (AARO). She is the recipient of Centennial College’s 2024 Alumni of Distinction Award and was honoured with the 2024 Ontario Premier’s Award for Skilled Trades.

Aftermarket experience mentor

Joe Mercanti, retired aftermarket industry expert

Joe grew up in the auto care industry, working in his family’s automotive body shop as a teen before becoming an aftermarket professional with over 45 years of experience. During his career, Joe worked at all levels for a number of major auto care sector companies before retiring in 2021.

Joe has been an active member of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) for years, serving as the chair of the AIA Canada Ontario Division and promoting the AIA High Fives for Kids (H5s4Ks) Foundation.

Leadership mentor

Chris Theodoratos, director of operations, Mr. Lube + Tires Canada

Chris Theodoratos is the director of operations at Mr. Lube + Tires Canada, where he leads operational strategies, a dynamic team and cross departmental projects. With over a decade of experience in the automotive aftermarket and tire industries, Chris has held senior leadership roles at National Tire Distributors, Sailun Tire Americas, and Groupe Touchette, where he specialized in corporate account management and distribution strategies.