The aftermarket looks to Managing Partner Derek Kaufman when it wants to know “what’s next.” An engineer by education and passion, he started his automotive career as a manufacturing process engineer with the Chevrolet Division of General Motors after his graduation from General Motors Institute.
His career includes executive positions with Euclid Trucks, Freightliner and Penske Corporation and entrepreneurship in the formation of his own company. As president of Penske Corporation’s Diesel Technology Company (DTC), Derek led the DTC team to produce electronically controlled fuel injection for both Detroit Diesel and EMD locomotives in the USA and form a global partnership with Robert Bosch Corporation to sell fuel systems to major European truck manufacturers.
Derek also served the Penske organization as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Support for Hino Trucks and VP Administration of Penske’s smartUSA smart car distribution organization. Derek formed his C3 Network company in Grand Rapids, MI to help clients launch new products in the trucking industry and also served as CEO of Mission Motors Company, a producer of power electronics components for the automotive, powersports, commercial transportation and off-highway equipment markets.
Derek serves on the boards of several transportation related companies and speaks regularly on emerging technology in the automotive and commercial vehicle markets.