The AAM Group honored Comp Specialties as its 2026 Member of the Year at the organization’s annual membership meeting held in Kingsport, Tennessee, company officials stated in a press release. Each year, AAM makes this selection based on six key metrics: Active Participation, Growth as a Percentage, Marketing Participation, Participation in Group Buys, PRO Rebates Participation, and New Supplier Support. In recognition of its win, Comp Specialties received a custom trophy and an exclusive painting.
“We were very pleased to recognize Comp Specialties, a member that continues to demonstrate what exceptional AAM partnership looks like,” said AAM President Tim Odom. “The award is evaluated across six core performance categories, and Comp Specialties delivered impressive results in each one. With the addition of a new category this year, New Supplier Support, they stood out immediately as a leader. Their commitment to collaboration, responsiveness, accessibility, and helping new suppliers succeed reflects the kind of engagement and support that strengthens our entire network.”
AAM Group Distribution Award Winners: 2026 Top Performers by Category
The AAM meeting also saw awards given to the winners in each of the aforementioned individual categories.
- DIX Performance for consistent and engaged Active Participation across AAM programs and initiatives.
- Motor State Distributing for achieving the highest Growth as a Percentage, showcasing strong year-over-year sales performance.
- AllPro Distributing for outstanding Marketing Participation, utilizing AAM’s tools to drive awareness and sales.
- Midwest Wheel for top-tier Participation in Group Buys, helping drive volume and supplier engagement.
- Comp Specialties for strong New Supplier Support, quickly onboarding and promoting new brands.
- Tri-State Enterprises, Inc. for leading the way in PRO Rebates Participation, maximizing the benefits of the AAM rebate structure.
AAM Group Names Outstanding Suppliers & Contributors at Annual Meeting
The AAM Group also presented 10 supplier awards at its Membership Meeting. Highlighted by the MVP, the categories also included Full Growth Throttle, Pavement Pioneer, Most Influential Marketing, Aftermarket Visionary, Excellence in Education, Driven by Data, and Rookie of the Year.
2026 AAM Group Supplier Award Winners
- Lippert accepted the prestigious Most Valuable Partner Award, which honors the supplier that demonstrated outstanding overall performance across all award categories.
- Baja Designs accepted the Full Growth Throttle Award, which recognizes the supplier partner that generated the greatest opportunity for profit across distribution and retail.
- The Pavement Pioneer Award was accepted by RealTruck for fielding the most robust outside sales presence, including actively maintaining strong relationships with jobbers and warehouses.
- The Most Influential Marketing Award has been given to DECKED for exceptional marketing concepts and execution.
- RealTruck received recognition for the RetraxPro EZ-OFF and received the Aftermarket Visionary Award.
- Gen-Y Hitch has earned The AAM Group’s Excellence in Education award, honoring their exceptional commitment to sales and product training that empowers jobbers and drives category growth.
- The Group Impact Award was presented this year to RealTruck for their contributions to the success and growth of AAM headquarters, members and resellers across their respective programs.
- Presented with the Driven by Data Award, ORACLE Lighting earned special recognition for the quality and completeness of its product data.
- 3D MAXpider was awarded Rookie of the Year in recognition of their outstanding performance, engagement and impact as a new supplier partner.
- Finally, Mishimoto accepted the Most Impactful Parts Pro Partner Award.
2026 AAM Group Ambassador Award Recipients
AAM also named seven recipients of the Ambassador Award, given to key individuals who exemplified their commitment to AAM’s shared mission of growing the aftermarket as a unified league.
2026 Supplier Champions
- Matt Sims — Baja Designs
- John Robinson — Lippert
- Dallas Donovan — Dee Zee
2026 Member Champions
- Ray Hagar — RPT Distributing
- Darren Pritchard — Lordco
- Greg Murphy — Midwest Wheel
- John DeBlasio — AllPro Distributing