Posted 12/11/2008

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AMI Announces 2008 William R. Jones Memorial Scholarship Recipient

William R. Jones Memorial Scholarship winner Kathryn van der Pol is presented with a plaque during the Automotive Service Association awards breakfast during Automotive Service and Repair Week in Las Vegas. van der Pol is shown with AMI instructor George Witt (left) and ASA president and chief staff executive Ron Pyle.

The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) have jointly announced that Kathryn van der Pol, owner of Adolf Hoepfl & Son Garage in Houston, is the recipient of this year's William R. Jones Memorial Scholarship.

The award honors William R. Jones and his lifelong contributions to the automotive service industry. His success in business was built on remarkable ideas, fearless persistence and an unfailing philosophy that he was investing first and foremost in friendships. Jones pioneered the parts and labor warranty program, which has protected more than 1 billion repairs since 1984. He also revolutionized tire road hazard programs, which have protected more than 50 million tires.

van der Pol has worked in the automotive service industry for more than four years and has been a shop owner for the last two. She is an ASE certified service consultant and is currently working on completing the necessary requirements to earn the Institute's Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. van der Pol is a member of ASA and currently serves as the secretary/treasurer for the ASA-Houston chapter. When not working in the shop, she contributes her time to various industry and community organizations.

As the scholarship recipient, van der Pol received $1,000 to be applied toward expenses to attend educational seminars offered during the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) in Las Vegas, Nov. 5-8.

"I am honored to be the recipient of the first William R. Jones Memorial Scholarship. As a former teacher, I know firsthand the benefits of education. As I begin a second career assisting my husband with the family business, attending the educational courses offered during CARS will provide another huge boost to my education," said van der Pol.

The William R. Jones Memorial Scholarship is made possible by a grant from ASA to EXCEL, AMI's resource development program.

"I was privileged to have known and worked closely with Bill Jones. He was a mentor and a friend. It is an honor for me to recognize his contributions to our industry through the establishment of this scholarship," said Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive.