Former Deputy Chair of the Motor Trade Association SA/NT (MTA) Mark McGuire has been elevated to the prestigious role of Chair at a recent meeting of the MTA Board.
Mr McGuire was first elected to the MTA SA/NT Board in 2015 after joining the MTA as a member in 2001.
Mr McGuire brings four decades of experience working in the automotive industry, including for retail dealerships, as owner of a number of local businesses and serving on the MTA Board.
In setting his priorities for the South Australian and Northern Territory automotive industries, newly elected MTA Chair Mark McGuire reflected on the challenging environment facing local business owners, “Operating a business has never been more challenging due to escalating costs and growing compliance requirements.”
Affirming that he wanted government to provide genuine support to local employers, he added, “When the conditions for small businesses to excel are met, we all win.”
Mr McGuire commented on the positive impact the MTA’s advocacy has for members, “The MTA has been incredibly effective in advocating for the industry’s needs and interests to all levels of government.”
Mr McGuire added, “As Chair, this is a legacy I will ensure continues.”
Mr McGuire pointed to recent MTA advocacy achievements including shaping the Federal New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, reforms to abandoned vehicle legislation and the nation leading mandating of the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct in South Australia.
“The collective approach of the MTA means that members have a genuine say in policy decisions,” said Mr McGuire.
For the new Chair, Mr McGuire is pleased to see just how far the industry has evolved. Remarking on his own start in the parts department of a Ford dealership as a 16 year old he said, “In my time, the role of a parts interpreter didn’t exist, yet it’s thrilling to witness the wide array of career prospects in our sector open to today’s youth.”
Mr McGuire thanked outgoing MTA Chair Frank Agostino for his service as the association’s longest serving Chair, “Frank has been a stalwart of the MTA and automotive industry for decades” he said.
“I am thankful for his mentorship and welcome his continued service as an MTA Board Member”
Mr McGuire congratulated MTA Board Member Mark Flynn for his election as Deputy Chair.
Outgoing MTA Chair Frank Agostino also congratulated Mr McGuire and Mr Flynn on their appointments, “I am excited to see renewal in our leadership. The MTA remains firmly in safe hands” he said.
ENDS
The MTA Board
Chair: Mark McGuire (Zoot Scooters)
Deputy Chair: Mark Flynn (Coast Powersports)
Board Member: Frank Agostino (Agostino Group)
Board Member: Peter Roberts (OG Roberts & Co)
Board Member: Clive Polley (Independent Components)
Board Member: John Hitchcock (Dial A Tow)
Board Member: Mark Papillo (North East Mitsubishi)
Mark McGuire Biography
Mark McGuire has over four decades of experience in the automotive industry beginning his career in the spare parts department at Adrian Brien Ford at the age of 16 in 1980. Mark spent 21 years with that business, taking on senior parts roles for the Ford, Hyundai and Honda franchises.
In 2001, he ventured into small business ownership by founding Hotline Car Parts, which specialised in the supply of aftermarket panels and lights. Over a span of 15 years, this business consistently grew stronger. Market shifts in 2016 and an opportunity to start importing radiator components and selling them online across Australia presented and another business was established, The Parts Man.
In 2018 Mark began importing scooters under the name Zoot Scooters. This venture has grown over the past 6 years with the opening of stores in Lonsdale and Unley, a distributor in Western Australia and on the Gold Coast, and with plans to open another store in Brisbane.
Mark joined the MTA SA/NT as a member when he opened his first business in 2001. In 2015 Mark joined the MTA SA/NT Board as he wanted to give back to the automotive industry and became Deputy Chair in 2022.
Mark has two daughters, and three grandchildren with a fourth expected soon. Mark lives in Myponga where he enjoys spending his time away from work.
MTA MEDIA CONTACT: Miles Hudson | M: 0432 698 700 | mhudson@mtasant.com.au
