Schwartz Advisors

Partner Pete Kornafel literally grew up in the motor vehicle aftermarket, working in his family business in Denver, CO. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT, and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Pete joined Ford Motor Company, where he created and coordinated all future model changes for Ford Pickup, Bronco, and Econoline Van.

Pete returned to his family business and under his leadership and close attention to detail, the business became the largest CARQUEST distributor for the Rocky Mountain region. Pete later served as President and Vice Chairman of CARQUEST Corporation and Director of General Parts.

One of Pete’s many passions is inventory and he often consults with distributors on maximizing inventory efficiency. He is the author of the book, Inventory Management and Purchasing.

Pete is the former chairman of the Automotive Warehouse Distributor Association (AWDA) and received AWDA’s highest honor in 1988. Pete received Northwood University’s Outstanding Business Leader Award and the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Triangle Award.

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“We built SA to serve small and mid-market companies that are working on organic or acquisition growth initiatives or seeking an exit from their business. We have built a great team of motor vehicle aftermarket experts who all have operating experience in the industry.”

| Rick Schwartz, CEO, Schwartz advisors

“Transportation as a Service will significantly change the automotive aftermarket in the next five years.You’re either planning to be a TaaS player now or you’re about to be run over by an autonomous vehicle.”

| Derek Kaufman, Managing Partner, Schwartz advisors

“Selling a family owned or closely held business is much more than a financial transaction. It’s very personal and requires an approach that is fine tuned to each individual business owner. Our expertise lies in understanding both the financial and personal aspects to achieve a successful outcome.”

| Keith Zar, Managing Partner, Schwartz advisors

PETE KORNAFEL

“We built SA to serve small and mid-market companies that are working on organic or acquisition growth initiatives or seeking an exit from their business. We have built a great team of motor vehicle aftermarket experts who all have operating experience in the industry.”

“Transportation as a Service will significantly change the automotive aftermarket in the next five years.You’re either planning to be a TaaS player now or you’re about to be run over by an autonomous vehicle.”

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