The industry veteran will be responsible for operations, marketing, sales, industry relationships, curriculum framework and more
North Richland Hills, Texas—Mark Claypool, AMAM, has been named the new executive director of the Automotive Management Institute (AMi). Claypool, recently retired as the president of web marketing agency Optima Automotive and was also formerly the VP of operations at VeriFacts, as well as the executive director of the National Auto Body Council and the Collision Repair Education Foundation.
Claypool took the reins of AMi on Jan. 2. He was also cofounder of the Collision Industry Foundation and the Women’s Industry Network (WIN). Claypool’s responsibilities will include oversight of all organizational operations, infrastructures, marketing, sales, industry relationships, curriculum framework and delivery, course approvals and processing.
“I am very humbled by the outreach of the AMi Board to see if I would consider leading the AMi,” said Claypool. “When I handed over my company, Optima Automotive, to Tyler Claypool, I said I would never us the word ‘retire,’ I prefer the term ‘re-wire’ and that’s exactly what this opportunity with the AMi will be for me. I have always been an ardent supporter of training and this is a natural fit for my experience and skill sets. I am so looking forward to building upon the foundation that has been laid by those amazing leaders who served in this role before me, men who are great friends of mine to this very day.”
AMi offers numerous role-based designations, including Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM), Accredited Master Collision-Repair Estimator (AMCE), Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) and many more, all which highlight the growing role soft skills and business management education play in the success of today’s automotive repair business.
Students focus on multiple core categories of training and professional development: financial management, sales and marketing, operational management, HR and personnel development, IT management, risk management and leadership. AMi is a 501(C)(3) non-profit established in 1989. For further information, contact AMi at 817-514-2914, visit www.amionline.org or e-mail markc@amionline.org.
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