The scholarship initiative — led by Beth Hakes, daughter of the late Fritz Hitchcock — honors her father’s legacy of supporting education and technical excellence within the automotive industry. GLANCDA Executive Director Bob Smith also shared updates on ongoing workforce development efforts, including the upcoming High School Auto Tech Competition scheduled for May 16 at Rio Hondo College. Now in its 20th year, the competition brings together top student technicians from across the region to compete for tool scholarships and prizes, showcasing emerging talent and bolstering dealer hiring pipelines. A Strong Community Presence Education and nonprofit partners once again played an important role in this year’s event. Representatives from more than 20 community colleges and high schools with automotive programs were in attendance, along with philanthropic partners such as Homeboy Industries, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity. Their presence reflects GLANCDA’s long-standing commitments to engaging with the community, uplifting the Greater Los Angeles area and creating pathways to high-quality automotive careers. A Successful Start to 2026 This year’s Member Luncheon and Annual Meeting showcased everything that makes GLANCDA a cornerstone of the Southern California automotive community: leadership, collaboration, service and a shared commitment to the future of the industry. With new initiatives underway and dealer engagement events on the horizon, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of growth, connection and continued excellence for the association. 12
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